It's that time of the year again when our calendars are for lovers. I read somewhere recently that Valentine’s day is the Lovers’ Christmas. The bond called LOVE is a force that cannot be ignored, so powerful the world has dedicated a day to celebrate it.
Let us talk about love. What is your definition of love?
On February 14, lovers will cross the oceans, climb the highest mountains and shout from the rooftop. All in the bid to express the four-letter word, LOVE. We at JUMOKE LAGOS are big on love and as we say in-house, we love love and we do not shy away from expressing it at every given opportunity.
The history of Valentine's shows the act of love was displayed. The defilement of the orders of the emperor by St. Valentine. Marrying couples secretly to spare husbands from war. The act was risky but driven by love. His action spoke, “I want you alive and I will do what it takes to keep you alive”. Love is an action word. Love is a verb. The words I LOVE YOU will mean nothing if the acts to express love is missing.
“Giving our loved ones their flowers while they can still smell them” are words of wisdom. Expressing love should not be postponed because we should express it at every given opportunity through our words and actions. Valentine’s should not be limited to people that are romantically involved. If we could redefine Valentine’s day. We would say, It is a day when we exchange gifts with the people we love in addition to actions of love taken in previous months and would still be taken.
Our definition of love goes beyond the emotional and the big gestures. Every girl would love a bouquet of roses with a piece of beautiful jewellery from our collections, every man would love a thoughtful gift that reflects the thoughtfulness of the giver.
All these are nice, but love is much more than that. Love is being present, love is cheering on others and helping them win. Being patient with the weak one and walking the journey to strength is what love is all about. Love is vulnerable. Love is believing in the dream of another and doing all that you can to keep the dream alive. Love is not doing life alone. Love is fighting my corner in my presence and my absence. Being emotionally present. When the moment of doubt shows up, love is reassuring me of your commitment to what we have. Love is allowing one to express oneself without shutting it down. Love is truthful.
As said by John Gay, the English poet, She who has never loved has never lived. An existence void of love is missing out on the key driver of life. Love truly makes the world go round. Love makes us vulnerable, which could be scary if exposed to the wrong person, but it is a risk worth taking. A life shrouded in fear cannot experience love, and neither will one plagued with suspicion know what love truly feels like. Only a soul with well-developed heart muscles can truly love and receive it. Though gentle, Love operates with a powerful force that a fragile heart can not withstand. Love in its purest form is not for the faint-hearted.
Till next time.
Lots of Love and Precious Stones
Jumoke Lagos
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