IT'S THE SMALL THINGS
And just like that, January is over. We are on to the second (and shortest) month of the year. Time truly flies, and though some days can be long, the weeks go by and the months are fast. February has always been a month I look forward to. It is the month that celebrates love. Rather, it reminds us all that only good things can come out of love.
Valentine’s Day to a lot of skeptics is a Hallmark holiday. An excuse to send cheesy greeting cards, post sweet photos on social media, mark up exorbitantly on flowers and chocolates, brave the traffic for set menus and restaurant gimmicks, and ultimately, an acceptable time to feast on all things red, white and pink, with hearts and Cupid’s exploding all around. But when I personally think of Valentine’s Day, I prefer to view it as a day to remind those nearest and dearest to you how much they mean to you, and how grateful you are to have such special people in your life to love.
Valentine’s need not be romantic, in as much as it definitely does not have to be commercialized, nor individualized. Rather, it is a perfect day to remind those who may be going through rough times, and equally those celebrating joyous moments that despite what the world throws on your plate, there is, and will always be love in this world. On some days, and on some occasions, we may have to look harder, and more intently, but it will never be absent, and it will always be there. And for as long as there is love in this world, and we make the conscious effort to choose it over hate, the world is a beautiful place, and will continue to become a better one.
Shoes and gestures of love need not be grand at all. It does not even need to cost you anything. After all, we remember most what we feel, and how certain people make us feel. Kindness is the greatest show of love, and even the smallest compliment can change someone’s day for the better. A small gesture of help, or even a smile to a stranger can be the sign of positivity someone is looking for. Never underestimate the good you can bring into someone’s life, and remember that the very essence of giving is not expecting anything in return.
So this February fourteenth, take a moment to think about how you can give the gift of kindness to those who mean the world to you. Moreover, how you can be a vessel for love, and a vehicle to remind others that love can change all.