Love

Day by day, year by year, we experience an addition to our knowledge, intellect, maturity, thoughts, the power of forgiveness, the power of an apology, the power of a smile and most importantly, the power of love and kindness.

I would like to share an anecdote about two fictional people that are apparently hidden among all of us.

Two young children develop an innocent liking for each other. They exchange smiles and genuine compliments with each other.

After a few years, they start sharing small note-like letters, simply saying what they feel in words, as few as possible.

Soon, they start exchanging candies and flowers, because they can afford to now, both mentally and financially. Emotions mean way more than before now, and feelings have started developing deep inside of them.

Eventually, life starts to happen and they are old enough to have things/experiences to talk about themselves, they somewhat know what they maybe looking for and here comes, Starbucks. The “Would you mind accompanying me for a cup of coffee sometime?” The beginning of a relationship, the start of the companionship everyone craves.

Then, they grow up. Old enough to mentally and financially afford and survive a movie+dinner date with gifts such as jewelry, cars, electronic devices, luxury accessories, and wedding rings.

Time passes by. During that time, they have a blend of all the above types of dates and exchanges amidst their work and family. Sometimes, even without realizing.

Finally, after many years have gone by, you see these two people, sitting in their lawn, having tea, experiencing the best date of their lives, exchanging smiles and sweet compliments, right where they started.

Love comes in many forms: your parents, your child, your grandparents, your siblings, and your BFFs. But, the best form in which one experiences love is your life partner. You can experience every emotion with them, they teach you how love works, they help you learn to compromise and have patience.

Love is a strong word and has meanings that go deep. But I wonder, why love is always associated with ‘being in love?' Well, I realize that is because it is the rarest of all other types of love.

Most of us have experienced the love of parents, grandparents, siblings, children, and BFFs. But very few of us have experienced a life partner, a soulmate. Some are still looking, some have found their love and are living it and in some cases, their love is right beside them, with them and theirs forever, but they don’t realize it. I have seen some couples who are together maritally, but they don’t really feel the relationship they are in. The reason they are together is LOVE, which they seem to have forgotten between family and work.

Love is very strong but can be easily taken for granted, or even be forgotten. Many people in this world couldn’t get their love, some had it but lost it due to death, illness, or border issues. Some were arranged together by their family to fall in love and, apparently, they couldn’t, and the rest, have their love with them as their spouses, for whom they once fought the world.

Life shall go on. Make sure you don’t forget your partner in all of it. He/She is the one who held your hand when everyone left, wiped your tears which others gave, shared your joy of achievement which the rest envied, gave you the courage when you fell and lastly, they were there. And still are. Maybe far away from you physically or right next to you. Maybe sipping a coffee, reading a book or looking at you, thinking, “I am blessed to have you. No one other than you could have done a better job by being my companion in life.” Please go and reply to them by saying, “I love you too!”

In the spirit of Saint Valentine’s Day, I request that everyone in love please cherish being in love, and having someone to take care of you and by your side all the time.