Let's talk about love. Love is not a one-day commercialised event that deludes you into spending a tidy sum to prove your love for another person.
The reason a bunch of roses is more expensive on February 14 is pure economics. As long as there is a willing buyer, there will be a willing seller.
Actually, I love flowers. A bouquet of flowers given or received at the right time, for the right reason, is actually one of the joys in life. And I follow the principle set by a dear friend who said : 'Please send me flowers while I can still smell them, not when my body is in a coffin. For that, it's better to give the money to a worthy cause.
You see, when we fall into the trap of expressing love only on a particular day, like the way hampers are delivered to people on festive occasions, it is no longer special. So, let's talk about real love.
Every morning, my neighbour in an adjacent street takes her mother out for a walk. Her mother is in a wheelchair and she has to be particularly careful when she reaches my street as it is a main road. Her cheerful disposition is always a welcome balm for a tired soul. Love, generously shared, makes us want to exclaim: 'I am loved. I am rich. I am privileged. My cup runneth over.'
There is also another aspect of love that we seldom want to grapple with. Love is action It calls us to deliberately reach out to others - people who are different, people who can't speak out for themselves, total strangers, and even our worst enemies.
We don't need a special day to show love. If you want to experience love, just look at ordinary people doing extraordinary things every day. They are the people who walk that extra mile, share your burdens and sow love in the midst of hatred.
And, you can be one of them.
Adapted from: Soo Ewe Jin Sunday Star, 17 February 2013
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