Day of love.....Days of love

Day of love....Days of love

Today is the day of love.....Valentine's day.....On second thoughts, does love need a day, a time or an occassion? Isn't it the most sublime of all emotions to be shared profusely and abundantly with everyone.? Wasn't it love we experienced from the time we were in the womb of our mother, cared for and protected? And then after we were born, every second of our lives was filled with unconditional love from parents, grandparents, siblings, family and friends.
Nobody could fall short of fondling us, cootchycooing, keeping us humoured.
As we grew up further whether at home, in school or society, the love continued as we conformed to the norms. When we digressed from them, it was love which brought us back even if we were chided. Such love may not have been vocal or public in display but it carried with it great depths of feelings.
Having studied in a convent I was familiar with the legend attributed to St. Valentine. He had sacrificed his life and become a martyr for the cause of love, to behold the ceremony of marriage and the institution of family. Legend mentions three such saints who worked for the cause. With time, in memory of love and the feelings associated with the martyrdom, people began celebrating Valentine's day on 14th February. It gradually became a day for exchanging love messages, poems and simple gifts such as flowers.
I remember my school days, almost 35 years ago when hardly many knew about this day. We used to celebrate it as a festival of love for all in our convent. Neither did it get converted into week long celebrations of Rose day, Propose Day, Chocolate day, Teddy day leading to promises, kisses, hugs and ultimately to Valentine's day with all the multinational companies laughing their way to the banks.
Essentially what does it take to confess love, a pure mind and heart. And truly speaking can we restrict love singularly to that man-woman relationship? Aren't there so many more relationships which bring out this feeling and engulf us with love? And what about our work or our studies, aren't we passionate about that? So many of us derive pleasure from an assignment completed or well done. Look at our scientists, explorers, sportspersons, engineers, administrators or any professional for that matter, isn't it love and passion for work which drives them? Or an artist who pours his heart to create a thing of beauty? Can love be restricted to one day, one relationship? It is beyond such servitude. It is free, unfettered and uncontrollable and can only give joy. The aberrations may lead to other base feelings which can certainly be overcome because ultimately it is love and hope which gives us the strength to move forward.
For me love is in the air, the water, the light everything which encompasses earth at all times. Even in the darkness one can see and feel love as one reaches out to another to offer help and light a lamp. A feeling which elevates us, inspires us so much, fills us with conviction and confidence needs to be celebrated everyday. So much more to St.Valentine, life and love....