Valentines Day is in two weeks, and of course, gift stores all over town are gearing up for a big shopping spree for that special someone.
My hope is that those who are looking forward to celebrating this special occasion may remember that to celebrate romantic love or the expression of love and affection is not something to do just once per year. Rather, to express one’s love is an everyday or an any day act.
Call me crazy, and perhaps unromantic, but in this day and age, do people actually still buy in to the whole cliche of Valentine’s Day?
Valentines Day goes back 500 AD, established by Pope Gelasius, named after St. Valentines. It is traditionally associated with romantic love, and is a day of celebration to express love and affection.
Almost everyone on the planet celebrates this special day. But it is also an excuse to spend unnecessary money for self indulgence.
I’m not saying that we should ignore those special moments that we want to share with our love ones, but the truth is, you can always celebrate that special moment any given time and day and in any form.
Now, let’s talk about relationships in general, not in the spirit of Valentines Day as celebrated only once a year, but in the spirit of emotional and spiritual relationships in our everyday lives.
For starters, a healthy relationship is good, fun, and comforting. It’s something that we all aspire for, because after all, it is part of our personal yearning for happiness.
However, for a relationship to be healthy does not mean that it is without any challenges, which allows learning to be part of the equation.
The truth is, there is no such thing as a perfect relationship — every one has its ups and downs. The question is, how do we cope and deal with the ups and downs?
Often, it’s not easy, and at times, it’s exhausting. But challenges are necessary to make relationships better. We are humans after all, complicated and ever-changing.
Whether you like it or not, we are flawed as part of our nature, which, in my opinion, makes life more interesting and exciting in a positive way. As complicated relationships are, they’re well worth it.
Love comes in different ways and different forms. As cliche as it is, yes, we only live once, and that is all the more reason why we should venture into a healthy relationships. It’s good for the soul, and it’s part of our humanity.
However, not all relationships are for everyone — some have tried and decided that it’s not for them, while others are unlucky and have given it up altogether.
But for those of us who enjoy both the romance and the challenges of relationships, it’s one of those things that we certainly can’t give up.
After all, we are social beings, and as the saying goes “love conquers all,” so why not give it a chance?