Valentine’s Day ki kahaani

Valentine’s day is round the corner & there is so much overdose of love in the air. From malls to online shopping portals, from gals craving for some mushy pampering to guys hoping for cosy encounters, Valentine’s day is one event everyone wants to cash upon! Just like kids have their hopes from Santa, adults believing in chemistry of love eagerly wait for Valentine’s day to get some spark in their lives.

But then, me wonderzzz, miracles don’t happen on a single day for everyone. And It somewhat irritates me that far from being a celebration of love, this day turns out to be a Public & materialistic display of affection day! Amidst the entire hullabaloo around for Valentine ’s Day, my heart still beats for people who are their own Valentine. Who avoid going out that day, and the day after and shy away from their single status. When friends ask “How was your day”, it seems as if someone is asking progress report of the test you never took. One wonders what to answer especially when friends boast of their experiences. I wonder, love is eternal, then why so many hue and cries – as if cupid just finds that one day to shower all the love in your kitty and leave you craving the remaining 365 days if you miss the bus.

No, I am no longer single, nor is this post a blog a celebration of the love hopefuls who are yet single, but super ready to mingle. Just that every Valentine ’s Day when I see over hyped feelings & enthusiasm, it reminds me of the long years I have spent as a single girl.

It would be dishonest to say I was hopeless about love. But getting oneself to love isn't as easy as shopping for grocery. It was fun to see people around me with a new person every year, while I remained shamelessly single throughout college! The single status in college although was an advantage since it saved a lot of mess I saw the lovestruck souls get into (like taking out that dedicated time for BF at the cost of lectures, manage the fight tournament, keeping a tab of things said and done, the possessiveness bug, etc etc). However, come Valentine’s Day and the same single status used to become an irritable feature of my existence. All the bachelors in college would find out about the single girls in the college & would make desperate attempts to find a Valentine who would save them the embarrassment of being single on the Valentine’s Day.  The already hooked up souls weren't left behind & tried to play the perfect matchmakers. Now, if Mr. X knew Miss Y and nothing happened between them throughout the year, how would Valentine’s Day get them together when there was nothing to get them in love? Hehe…Would Valentine’s Day cast some sort of spell & make the same person appear lovable? I used to wonder…

So, after 1^st year, I refrained from going to college on Valentine’s Day & preferred to make my parents spend on dinner & gifts by telling them “I am your Valentine, now pamper me!” But the ordeal was far from over. Not going to college on Valentine’s Day was taken as a sign that u one had a rocking date with someone special outside college. And friends would shower questions like “How was your day? Who is the one?” etc etc and no amount of plain vanilla honest answers would satisfy them. Phew!

Relief came when I started working. Yes, the suitors’ hunt for singles in the company & the questions next day were a regular feature. But all at a subdued level. And one could immerse self in work to create the perfect “I am too busy for love” excuse.

But by that time, I too felt motivated. Why should I be devoid of the fun, just because I am single? So, I & my group of girlfriends began the culture of “Mera V-Day”. We would dress up for ourselves & would cater to our shopaholic & gluttony selves that day without any guilt or any stress of any commitment! But whenever we looked at that perfect couple holding hands and walk in the mall, we would secretly wish to be in their category by the next Valentine’s Day. The story would repeat every year.

Although I met my hubby in the Valentine’s month, our 1^st encounter missed the Valentine’s Day by a few days. And by the next Valentine’s Day  we were happily married! I still remember our 1^st Valentine’s Day was a busy day, with a family wedding & visits to relatives. While everyone asked about our plans, the wedding ensured we had no privacy that day. So, by the evening when it was time to get ready for the wedding, I had given up. “This too would be a normal day like all the previous Valentines. Where’s Mr. Cupid now & where is his shower of love & pampering? Guess it’s just another Mera V-Day so lemme doll up & gorge on the greasy wedding food” I grumbled.

 But happiness they say, comes in small packages. So, when my otherwise shy hubby held me from behind & wished me with flowers & …, I was taken by surprise! So, this was what V-Day was all about, I giggled.

With age comes wisdom (and now Mr. Hubby will say I’m growing old too fast) but having been at both the sides of the table, I feel Valentine’s day is just a celebration of love – whether with you yourself or that special someone (your hubby, parents, kids, boyfriend, best friend, you yourself etc). Just like excess makeup spoils the look, let’s keep this day sweet & simple. Let’s not pollute it with overdose of commercialization, inflated stories etc etc. Let Valentine’s Day just be Valentine’s Day!

For all those in love, a very happy Valentine’s Day, & for those who are still single, love is inside & around, just embrace it!