It is almost a staple that as February comes around the corner, merchandising and malls are clad in red, pink and white. Hearts, Cupid, bows and arrows are everywhere to welcome Valentine’s Day. Brands suddenly release Valentine’s variant of their brands, and then there is a sudden increase in flower and chocolate prices, as well as set menus in restaurants that signify February 14th. Undeniably, Valentine’s Day is one of those holidays that have been dubbed to be a “Hallmark holiday” because of the pressure it puts on consumers. Whether we are big on celebrating it, or not, it is always nice to receive some flowers, a box of chocolates, or just a simple gesture with the perfect excuse to feel the love a little bit more. To me, Valentine’s Day is celebrating love. Love in all its forms and splendor.

It is as much about celebrating friendship as it is about romance. The depths of true friendship after all, and all that it goes through is as intricate as a relationship with a significant other. It takes time, dedication, loyalty and constant nurturing to flourish and endure. It is celebrating our parents – our mothers most especially – whose unconditional love has given us life, and continues to guide us. It is about celebrating our co-workers and colleagues; our staff and employees to thank them for the loyalty, and their tireless hours they dedicate, and the sacrifices they make to be away from their own loved ones at times for our comfort. For students, it is about celebrating their teachers who stand as their second parents, on school days, five times a week. Suffice to say, Valentine’s is not solely for a partner as it is often romanticized to be. In my opinion, it is the perfect excuse to spread the love, to amplify the good vibes, and let someone know that they are loved.

Love is so many things to so many people. It is one of those multi-faceted notions and concepts that is also ever-evolving. After all, it is “a many-splendored thing.” I would like to think of it as a silent, but most influential and strongest of feelings. Love has the capacity and capability to sometimes over-ride rationality. We do it for the sake of love, as they say, and the sometimes irrational reasoning behind the said action becomes deemed acceptable because of this. Love can be loud if you choose for it to be, but even the smallest, and most silent of gestures can speak the loudest. There are different perceptions, as there are opinions that govern it, without any said or fixed rules. I remember reading somewhere that doctors see love like no one else does – at the first, or last moments of life. Take the story of Les Miserables for example: its interpretation can be anywhere from just a story of love, war, and forgiveness, to one of salvation where “To love another person is to see the face of God.”

At the end of the day, we all have our loved ones. It does not matter if we have a fixed definition of what love is, or an impression of what it is supposed to be, for as long as we remember to show those who matter to us how much we love them, even when there is no special occasion to do so. Time is a constant. Let us allow the love in our lives to beat with it.