A lot like Love

Today, is what they call the Valentine’s Day. Theoretically speaking, the origin of Valentine’s Day with that of love itself is somewhat obscure. Going by the theory of it we would perhaps end up with a long list of stories. Here’s one- Legend has it that a third-century priest named Valentine persisted in performing marriage ceremonies despite a ban by the Roman emperor, Claudius II. Claudius was persuaded, that single men made better soldiers for his army and ergo the ban. Thrown into jail, Valentine formed a relationship with his jailor's daughter (some say he cured her blindness) and signed his last message to her "From your Valentine." St. Valentine was executed on February 14, circa the year 270 and thus the connotation, with the date in question.

Today on the 14th day of February, 2010 I am sitting at one of the busiest airports in the country, about to travel from one of the busiest cities to another one, of similar kind. And looking around I happened to see the re-run of a movie called ‘A Lot Like Love’ on one of the movie channels. Strangely, the title struck a chord in my head and made me muse about love, life and relationships. Now here’s a quote from the bible which might act as food for thought.

Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking.
It is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.
-I Corinthians 13:4-8

I live in one of the busiest cities in the country and the truth is that when I look around I see a lot of people these days in and out of love both juxtaposed, metaphorically. Worst of all, there are some ones amongst us who haven’t even been in love for a while now. We come across people day in day out talking about marriage with respect to financial viability, social stability and a hell of a lot other things besides love. I once remember meeting someone who actually said that she can’t really marry for love as she essentially has to have other more important things in better proportion: like money, stability and god alone knows what all. I, for one, have practically forgotten what it is like to be in love. Considering the sojourn’s been away from me, for a while now.

The fact is that we see a lot of people vouching for fancy-free these days than for loving someone. Every passing day more and more of us now say that being single is so much more better and hassle free, and that the perks of being with a partner are really not worth the troubles attached with it.

So is it actually true that being single, now, is better than being with someone?

I don’t really know if that’s the truth of today’s world; but I think I do know another truth that despite all this, we the single ones, still go to bed each and every day hoping- some subconsciously and some consciously- to wake up the next morning only to see a new day…. And that perhaps this would be the day when we would meet someone who would sweep us across our feet with their simple smile and their majestic charm.

This one here, is for all the single ones out there…
After all these years, I see that I was mistaken about Eve in the beginning; it is better to live outside the Garden with her than inside it without her.
-Mark Twain, Extracts from Adam's Diary