One of the biggest days of the year is Valentine’s Day. It is celebrated almost everywhere in the world. It is popular, second to Christmas. It is the day people present gifts to friends, families and loved ones.
However, it is difficult to tell exactly when the day became such a big hit in Ghana. Personally, I first learnt of Valentine’s Day from American Peace Corps teachers when I was in the third year of Junior High School.
As students, we were encouraged to design our own cards, which essentially consisted of drawing a heart pierced by an arrow cupid-style. This card would have to find its way anonymously and surreptitiously to a girl you fancied but had not gathered the courage to approach. Indeed, it was all a bit of harmless fun.
Love, sacrifices
Growth has taken place, and our understanding of true love should guide us to celebrate Valentine the right way. Although in a world where many have fallen out and hardly believe in true love, due to horrible experiences they might’ve suffered, I choose to string words together on the radiance that permeates marred dark thoughts. You can read John 3:16, which talks about the love of God for humanity. What a love!
What is the biggest and most treasured sacrifice your partner has ever made for you out of love? How did you feel about it? And how did you take it? How did that change your perspective about love? How have you since treasured your partner?
Valentine’s Day gives couples’ opportunities to express love in special ways every year. However, the remaining 364 days present us with situations requiring extra effort to prepare a cumulative record of sacrifices motivated by love.
Love is all about sacrifices – giving up something precious in order to gain or maintain something such as a valuable relationship or some other worthy cause. That is sacrificing for your lover and protecting them from any harm whatsoever. But, is that the kind of love we exhibit as people currently?
Today, many ladies will wear red under-garments to delight their red-hot partners. People will wear red clothes to mark the day; buy red wines, chocolates, Valentine greeting cards and many other gift items.
Resisting pressure
Do not allow the pressure of others influence you by the magnitude of their enjoyment. Be your own pressure, and you will forever be worth it. Focus on your good attributes and pamper yourself because if you do not love yourself you cannot love others and no one can love you.
Dress in what makes you feel good and do activities you enjoy doing- reading, watching good movies or going out with friends. Count your blessings. Celebration of Valentine begins with you and you do not have to be married or be in a relationship to celebrate valentine.
Know that it is not beyond normal to send gifts because Valentine gave gifts. Send gifts you can afford – chocolates, flowers, cards and perfumes. Gifts are signs of love of goodwill because sharing with others is human kindness.
Kindness matters
Studies show people who give feel good and attract generosity. Kindness is the commonest expression of love because it creates goodwill and dispels hurt. It costs nothing to be kind. When we are kind you see each other as valuable, worthwhile and good.
You enhance your lover’s personal wealth. Kindness therefore increases intimacy because if you are kind, your lover feels loved, accepted and valued. He or she is motivated to treat you in similar of better ways. Hence, with one act of kindness, you can inspire your lover to plant seeds of happiness.
Valentine is an opportune time to propose to someone you love. If you are married, rededicate yourself to your calling into God’s ministry of marriage. Appreciate the sanity and sanctity of marriage, and let your marriage shine so that it becomes an agent of evangelisation.
I am not an expert, but many have since treasured their partners after the very first day they set eyes on each other. The mutual feeling of love still flourishes and is worth pleasing to the ear, mind and heart. And it is even visible to the blind and audible to the deaf. Some of these sacrifices can be mind-blowing, and it is only right that these stories are written and read.
A relationship centred in God’s love acknowledges that the Lord is your personal source of significance, security and satisfaction. Let us celebrate love because love, they say, makes the world go round. The feeling of contentment that emanates from making one’s life worth living stays forever. Touch hearts by showing true love of kindness, fidelity and forgiveness.
Happy Valentine, with love anew. Let love lead!
Writer’s e-mail: bpdonkor@gmail.com
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