It’s been an eventful month. The Eagles lost in the Super Bowl last weekend (still crying) and Valentine’s Day followed a few days later. In the weeks leading up to both events, stores were packed with treats and gifts. On Tuesday, everywhere I looked I saw roses, chocolates, gifts, and happy couples celebrating. It’s a fun day, but I started to wonder, why celebrate the people you love just once a year? This led me to do a little research. Did you know that the first love song was written in Sumeria around 2000 BC? The song was called, “I Will Sing of My Love,” and is a story of a goddess Inanna who falls in love with a mortal man, Dumuzid. It was written on a clay tablet and discovered by archaeologists in the late 19th century. Absolutely fascinating, but it didn’t answer my question 😊.
If love is a fundamental human need, why celebrate it once a year? No, I am not getting sappy, but I do wonder why. Last week, I was trying to catch up with a friend over drinks and he suggested meeting on Tuesday (Valentine’s Day). I laughed and reminded him that it might be in his best interest to celebrate Valentine’s Day with his wife. His answer was interesting, possibly dangerous. He said they do not celebrate the day. Later, I spoke to another friend who in passing said, “see you at the cigar lounge on Tuesday.” I reminded him it was Valentine’s Day and got the same response. I couldn’t help myself and asked why, and he confirmed my thinking. He said, why wait once a year to celebrate and go all out with flowers, chocolate, dinner, etc. when he does that all year for his significant other. I checked back with my other friend and got the same answer. Their reasons made me smile; they are exactly right!
To go one step further, why show love only towards your significant other? Why not show your love to everyone you care about, as often as possible? In fact, why not show love to yourself while you are at it? It doesn’t have to be a large gesture; just caring for yourself and your tribe with small gestures daily is itself a large gesture. I know folks that are single that go out and celebrate the day on their own, doing something they enjoy. It can be just checking in to see how someone you care for is doing. A friend recently told me about a colleague of his who is amazing, consistently going above and beyond without complaint and does it all well. He checked in with her to see how she was doing, and let’s just say the answer was not well. He paused his day, took time to listen to her and by the end of the conversation, they were both glad they had the conversation. Sometimes, just being there is the best way to show you care.
I must wonder, what if we all took the time to show the people we love or care about how much we do care every day? And not with expensive gifts or elaborate dinners, but with our time, attention, and support. Why not treat every day like it was Valentine’s Day? Imagine feeling the love every day!
“Every one of us needs to show how much we care for each other and, in the process, care for ourselves.” – Princess Diana
Have a great weekend.
-Vijay