Surviving Valentine’s Day

http://www.monitor.co.ug/Magazines/Full-Woman/Alone–How-to-survive-Valentine-s-Day/-/689842/1687558/-/ok6gu6z/-/index.html

It still beats me just how much people make a fuss about a day that is not even red on the calender! Well, it is at least only one day in the year. Thank God for small mercies!

I have not been on a Valentine’s Day date since high school when my sweetheart took me to TLC Club and we shared a plate of chips and chicken. He gave me flowers that his sister received from her secret admirer at her workplace. I am not a flower lover but I remember thinking that, that was the sweetest gesture ever.

After that TLC time, I grew up. There is really no point in losing a wink of sleep over Valentine’s Day. I have spent all these past few years devising ways of dodging it. Now, I am no relationship expert but I just do not understand the need to go over the top, going the extra mile for just one day. Why concetrate on one day like everyone else yet the year has other days that could make the experience unique?

Why dress up in red on a day when so many are doing just that? What if Kayihura’s boys mistook that for a planned demonstration by the UPC fellows and unleashed that pink water on you as you walk out of the gift shop with flowers?

One of my closest friends, Tony, is always conveniently single on Valentine’s Day. Tonny has a number of ladies who secretly hope they are The One. So, to avoid immense heartbreak, he breaks up with all of them a week or so before D-day and makes up after Valentine’s Day. Bobby, another friend, is known to “travel upcountry” a day or two prior the lovers’ day.

A few years back, I did succumb to the hype too, my sweetheart was overseas. I spent a couple of hours at one of those Internet cafes at Garden City Mall on a skype call to my sweetheart an ocean away. We stared into each other eyes, promising to love each other no matter the geography.

Promises of “I will be coming back soon” and “I will be here waiting for you” were made and we wished each other happy Valentine’s Day. It was heart wrenching I tell you. When I walked out, it was in time to see couples walk hand in hand, arms around each others’ waists, making a bee-line for the cinema. Since I had no “plot”, I decided to follow suit.

The movie of the day was… You guessed right, Valentine’s Day. It was pleasant enough, though I wished my boyfriend were there with me. Gosh, I hated Valentine’s Day that day! On a pleasant note, I did notice a few people came to watch the movie by themselves, it was comforting knowing I was not alone.

In the movie, when Julia Roberts spent 14 hours on a plane from Afghanistan just to be with her son for a few hours then return to war, I sighed audibly. I imagined my man doing the same thing that very moment, returning home for Valentines to be with his African Queen… The thing about “young love” is that everyday seems like Valentine’s Day. Always competing to out do the other as far as affection, caring, the whole works are concerned. Then, you get used to it and take each other for granted.

I am hopeful. I pray that this Valentine’s Day will mark the beginning of an everlasting romantic, loving and exciting journey for you all, and that you begin to let everyday be Valentine’s Day.

Happy Valentine’s Day lovers!