The Sunday Mail
Life issues with FGK
ON Valentine’s Day, it’s love and cuddles only!
Many people go deeper into their coffers to spend on their loved ones, it is said on average a man spends at least US$120 on his sweetheart while a lady parts with an average of US$45 pampering her man.
Some make special meals indoors, with the rooms decorated romantically to ignite the sensual emotion associated with the day. Some light up candles on the dinner table, spread beautiful table cloths. Red napkins add to the glamour of the love-filled atmosphere.
Others go for the less-pricy but still good option of just showing their love. They spread “why I love you” heart- shaped letters all over the house. Some just go to a bookstore, enjoy cups of coffee and make a date out of that.
Others just mail beautiful cards to their loved ones. Some may even just spread a soft cloth decorated with fresh garden flower petals, and sit on their balcony or verandah during the night as they watch the stars and pour red raspberry juice while enjoying the evening picnic at home.
A married couple might even take this special day to take a hot bubble bath together. It is all about igniting the love, to get your other half to feel the vibe. It is not about spending a lot, it is in enjoying quality time with the one you love.
It is important to give thought to the purpose of Valentine’s Day and the real essence of love as couples celebrate it.
A lot of Christians debate whether they should take part in it or not.
While I cannot answer that, keep in mind that non-Christians celebrate Christmas with Christians every year.
I think it is important to celebrate love just as we celebrate Jesus Christ’s birth.
The history of Valentine’s Day will always be controversial. Most historical events tend to be subjects for debate when it comes to the precision of their dates.
Valentine’s Day got its name from a famous saint who was a martyr during the reign of the Roman Emperor Claudius II. St Valentine was a Christian priest in the third century AD in the land of Rome. One common story about St Valentine is that as the former priest and bishop in Amelia, Rome, he was on house arrest with Judge Asterius. While he testified about Jesus and religion with the Judge, Valentine declared the authority of Jesus.
The judge immediately presented Valentine with a great test to his faith. Asterius ordered that his blind daughter be brought before Valentine and he commanded him to restore her sight. If he succeeded, the judge vowed to do anything for Valentine, but if he failed, he would be hanged.
Valentine placed hands onto her eyes, and restored the child’s vision. At that point, the judge was converted to Christianity and Valentine was freed. He was later arrested again because he believed so much in marriage and love while the emperor had banned marriage as he was of the view that marriage weakens men as valiant soldiers.
St Valentine’s campaigned against this idea until he was put in prison and sentenced to death, mainly for assisting persecuted Christians and secretly marrying Christian couples. Whilst on the death row, he wrote a letter to his newly found love, the jailer’s daughter. When he was taken to be killed on 14 February, he sent her a love letter signed “From your Valentine”.
The world began to celebrate this day. On this many say that the priest was killed for love, many express their love for each other and remember St Valentine’s.
Others also relate this day to the pagan Roman festival, Lupercalia, where they would kill animals and sprinkle the blood on the streets to chase away evil spirits and purify the city, while also releasing health and fertility.
Like I said, there are a lot of sides to the origins of this day.
However, we focus on celebrating love, marriage and the couples whose motive is to ignite passion and desire for each other. lt is these simple things that mend torn relationships.
As we celebrate love, we need to celebrate the correct love and renew our minds knowing what is expected of us in a relationship.
The following story potrays selfish “love”.
A certain old man met a young boy eating fish. The old man asked the boy why he was eating fish and the boy said he was eating fish because he loves it. The old man said, “Ooh! You are eating fish because you love fish?” The young boy said, “Yes, I love fish!” The old man then said, “No, you cannot tell me that you are eating fish because you love fish. You have taken it out of water, you have killed it and you have cooked it — that is why you are eating it.
“That is not love for fish, but that is love for yourself. It tastes good to your tongue and that is why you are eating it, so do not tell me you are eating it because you love fish, you are eating it because you love yourself.”
There is real love, then there is love for fish.
A lot of it is going to be happening this Valentine’s season. Some people fall in love just to get something out of it. They say they love you because of the vacuum that you can fill in their heart, the hunger in their body that you can satisfy and the emotional thirst that you can quench.
Some also fall in love with you because of the security you can provide, the financial gap that you can cover and so on. Honestly, most of the people are in love for what they get, not for what they can give.
Love has to be selfless, love has to be considerate. Let us celebrate this Valentine’s Day with the correct perspective on love as well as why we are in that relationship with him or her. We must be willing to give. We must be in love to offer, not just to get.
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