Red Day

Valentine's day, V-Day, day when the heart bleeds to express your love, the culmination of endless hours and money spent on getting the perfect gift to make sure that your loved one cannot refuse the proposal...This is valentine's day for all !

But do you know how this magical day came to be celebrated?

Apparently this day is celebrated in memory of St.Valentine. So how did a priest become responsible for young lovers to fall in love? Weird isnt it. .

Well, One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men — his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.According to this legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl — who may have been his jailor's daughter — who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure.

This is just one among the many legends which makes february the most romantic month of the year. Nevertheless, in today's era, how many of us actually remember this saint and decide to celebrate this day in his honor? From the time i can remember, this has been the day guys dreamt of, to show their friends that the girl of everyone's dreams actually heard out his proposal or for girls to bet with their friends that the cutest guy around would propose her first. [author's note - This is not from my personal experience. [;)] This is just what i have heard.]

To make things worse, we have activists claiming this celebration against the culture. So is getting 'engaged' against the culture? Dosen't indian culture allow two human beings to express their love for each other (I like to choose my words carefully to ensure that i have covered every aspect of life.Hence i quote 'two human beings' and not 'girl and a boy' [;) again]).

Well, i am definitely not the person to discuss grave issues. It is all i can do to get past my day, everyday. So i am not prolonging this post.

One more big red day passed. One more year older. And sob sob, all the roses and chocolates in the world seemed to have missed my address! The only male companion around for V-day was my puppy. And since he was being given a bath, he figured it was some special day and hence filled my day with his frantic barks and tantrums! So much for lovers day !!!!

But for all you young lovers out there...Live life king/queen size ! You neednt wait for a V-day or for some other saint to express his love, for you to let your love be known. Make every day a valentine's day.. Make it your day !! Romeo and Juliet became famous, salim and anarkali did too.. you never know.. someday you could make your names also world famous .Just one sincere suggestion though - Please make yourself famous with some romantic gestures.Till date i could never figure out how, consuming poison and killing oneself will make a romantic heroic couple [no offence to literature lovers.]I would have loved it if they had just eloped and lived happily ever after.

Enjoy life... Enjoy love.....!!

Ps: Me.. I am grateful for all the wonderful people in my life today and i say 'Love ya all'!!!