Celebrating Saint Valentine.

Things are beautiful if you love them. – Jean Anouilh.

Hello friends, Happy Valentine’s Day to you all in advance. Wish you a great time with your loved ones, commemorating, Saint Valentine, the apostle of love. In this feel-good atmosphere, we must all strive to make our near and dear ones happy. If we can reach out and succeed to bring a smile and cheer to the face of a lonely stranger, a neighbour or a colleague, the more the better, a bonus. All we need is some gentle words or gestures to show that we truly care can make their day and ours too. We should not feel stingy in opening up the sackful of love and compassion and spread it far and wide because it’s the only wealth that multiplies as much as we distribute it.

Especially in these most unprecedented times, when almost the entire world is ravaged by the Corona pandemic, the feeling of despondency, isolation and scare is so rampant everywhere. If we require a sledgehammer to break the ice then our efforts would be worth it. A bit of empathy and camaraderie might go a long way in assuaging the feeling of dejection and inadequacy sometimes hidden behind a faint smile thrown at your way, during the interaction.

Friends, today there is perceptive wariness towards opening up, warry of further exploitation and rejection. Each one seems to have created a cocoon around themselves for protection. It’s stifling in there, yet clueless how to break out of it. The need is to break the barrier of a self-centred attitude and think out of the box to connect and engage positively and humanely with people around us.

The people are infinitely blessed if they have a family to fall back on. Ones who are living alone or the elderly people whose children flew away from the nest, of our acquaintance, can become our surprise Valentines. If we genuinely look, may find someone or the other being worthy of being the one. More the people are getting economically affluent, more are finding themselves emotionally deprived just for the want of opening up and understanding one another.

In earlier days people used to meet up informally, had lengthy sessions of addas(chat) over endless teas and snacks(fritters) which literally helped them to feel rejuvenated after their monotonous daily chores and responsibilities of life. Do we have that luxury now? Most probably not, because we’re so concerned over the matters of our own affairs that we fail to find time for such frivolous addas. Though the present generation virtually meet and have their fair share of chat but do they suffice the fun of real one!

Friends, reach out, make as much valentine as you can and spread the message of universal love but don’t ever forget the ‘special one’ in your life and treat him or her with the very best. Let the love keep on blossoming with each day of togetherness, don’t ever let go of the special feeling you cherish in your heart for one another. ❤
Enjoy the day. May Saint Valentine bestow love and kindness to all.
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Welcome to spring

Flower photos courtesy: Riya