Where's the love?

"Oh my God, he proposed to you on Valentine's Day? Ooo… how romantic! Sigh… I wish my boyfriend was half as affectionate…" says gushing female on receipt of her friend's happy news!

So, Valentine's Day's (or should I refer to it by its American name "Hallmark Holiday") is around the corner, is it? Hmmm… I've always wondered what all the fuss was about? Did you know that according to an estimation by the Greeting Card Association, approximately one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide, thus making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year, behind Christmas. Yowza… that's a whole lot of card sending don't you think? Anyway, apart from the whole soppy-versed card, long-stemmed rose and heart- shaped chocolate box sending, who really knows how and why Valentine's Day even came into being? Come to think of it, who cares? As long as there's lots of gifts involved and oodles of "sweet nothings" uttered… who cares how or why the day actually originated.

Now, please don't get me wrong… I'm neither a cynic nor an embittered, dejected lover, far from it actually. I've just never been very much of a believer of this so-called "amorous" day! Not that I've never celebrated it in my lifetime though, not so at all. But, over the years I've just grown less and less convinced of the its significance and why it's celebrated at all. I mean other than for it being one big 'commericalized thamasha', I really can't understand who else genuinely stands to gain from this.

Contrary to most people's beliefs, Valentine's Day is not just a day dedicated to lovers, but rather, love. That's a given. So, how many different kinds of love exist? Love shared between children and their parents, siblings, friends, in-laws, teachers and their pupils…. etc., the list is endless. So, what I don't quite comprehend is why there needs to be one particular day to celebrate your love for any of these people. Surely all of them must play a role of utmost importance in your life to warrant a valentine’s greeting, yes? So, why not celebrate them every day of your life by doing the simple everyday things you more often than not tend to neglect.

Ask them about their day and share highlights of your day once you get back home regardless of how tired you are, hear what they don't say and not what you want to hear, talk without counting the seconds, share a good joke and laugh till your sides split… You don't need a special day to do any of this, right? I know it's much easier and more convenient to have this one specific day allocated for this abundant display of love and affection. But, does it really make any sense?

How can it make any sense when you neglect your parents all year through and then shower them with flowers and take them out to a fancy restaurant, on one day of the year? How can it make sense, that you're so caught up with your work that you have no time for your children all year long, but come early on one day of the year to spend some "quality" time with your family? How can it make sense when you beat up your wife 364 days of the year, but buy her an expensive necklace on the 365th day? How much do we really think flowers and chocolates can make up for???