Some three decades ago, my no-nonsense lady boss asked to
see my diary to see what work I had planned for the future weeks. As she
flipped through, she came across an entry that reads: “Buy Valentine’s Cards”.
She let out a humorous shriek whilst handing back my diary saying that going
through my diary any further would make her go blind! I smiled mischievously:
one of my trademarks! Well, she showed me real “pepper” in the time we spent
together, I as junior and she as Principal of the budding law firm in the heart
of Lagos Island! Looking back, she must have acted in love, cool and severe as
can be! A story for another day, I promise.
I also recall another Valentine’s Day some two decades ago.
I was visiting a senior colleague who was then head of the legal department of
a government parastatal along the Marina in good old Lagos. She excused herself
to make phone calls to all her grown up children. As far as I can remember, and
of course now using my own words, each calls goes like this: “Hello dear. How
are you? I know today is Valentine’s Day. Enjoy it. I also recognise that you
may wish to go all the way today. If you do, please use adequate protection. I
hope you understand darling…” Seriously, that is our reality even more so
today.
The origins of Valentine’s Day however, relates to martyrs
who acted according to their conscience and against all odds. Legends also tell
us of a certain Saint Valentine who made a blind daughter of his judge see and
later wrote her a letter signed “Your Valentine” as farewell before being
executed. Let us contrast these to what we have made of Valentine’s Day today!
Revelry, party making, carousing, riotous behavior, crude jokes, morbid
sexuality are the hallmarks of present day celebrations!
But once we have linked a commemoration to love we better do
it based on the right concepts of love or we will be engaging in a lie which
brings no benefit and can even debase partakers!
Love! It is a high concept! It is not close to the immoral caricature
which man has made of it today! They sing of love and loving and the context
many times suggests sexual intercourse! Amazing, audacious and sad!
However, love is the highest power, it is unlimited might,
in the mysteries of life! Let us remember that even Creation as such and all of
us accommodated in it only came into existence out of God’s love! We cannot
draw a single breath if not for His love.
Therefore on days like this and on every day of our lives
let us celebrate love through our thoughts, words and deeds such that we work
only for the welfare of our neighbour and do nothing to harm them just to
satisfy our selfish desires.
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