Today is Valentine's Day and I feel compelled to talk about, err, love??
This is the time where you practically see things morphing into heart shapes... chocolates, cookies, pendants, watches, mugs and omg, even the bahkwa !!
I glance around my living room. Everything still appears pretty normal and the only sight that reminds me of this special day is a pair of red roses, limply seated in a 'Star Wars' tumbler. How 'romantic'!
Many couples celebrate today to renew their special relationship. However, few really know why we celebrate Valentine's Day and how it got started in the first place. Come to think of it, they don't really need to know as they are more concerned about getting the right gifts and making restaurant reservation for the special evening.
According to the legend, 'Valentine' came from the name 'St. Valentine', who was a priest during the 3rd century in Rome. The Roman Emperor, Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, presumably because the latter tend to be distracted by their loved ones. His belief led him to ban all marriages and engagements.
When St. Valentine learnt about the injustice, he continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. He was later thrown into jail. It was believed that St. Valentine fell in love with a young girl who was the jailor's daughter, while in prison. Before his death, he wrote a love note to her and signed "From Your Valentine", an expression that is still in use today.
So, why Feb 14? That was the day St.Valentine was executed or to be exact, beheaded. If you think that it is a rather morbid origin of this very lovey lovey day, I totally agree with you.
The accuracy of the legend is shrouded in mystery but those who celebrate this day do not seem to care. Today, Valentine's Day means business opportunities in the commercial world.
As expected, I see many advertisements in the newspapers today that bang on the occasion to sell their products and services. Somehow, one headline that read "Glenn Ong, Jamie Yeo split" hit me. Glenn and Jamie are people in the local entertainment industry and their names are familiar to many. I have nothing against them coming together or otherwise, except that the timing for the news is seriously bad, as if done on purpose.
That's what I call, bad taste.
At this moment, the world appears gloomy to many, thanks to the global economy downturn. Many families are struggling to fight the recession and stay above water. At times like this, let's not forget to extend our love to other fellow mankind. Learn to take things lightly and laugh more.
Happy Valentine's Day!
"The way to love anything is to realize that it might be lost." - G. K. Chesterton (Novelist)
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