The festive season of red roses, confectionery, and greeting cards is here, and it is the most celebrated holiday dedicated to lovebirds, famously known around the world as Valentine’s Day. While a vast majority of couples celebrate this day just for the sake of it, very few seem to know the background story behind this festivity.

Valentine’s Day, as the name suggests, is named after a priest (now canonized as a saint) by the same name who used to live back in the day, in the Roman Empire. The Empire Claudius the Cruel banned marriages and every sort of union between lovers to prevent young men from getting attached to their loved ones. He was running short of men for his army, and this was one way he could solve the issue. Despite the ban, St. Valentine officiated many unions of young lovers in secret. Unfortunately, he couldn’t carry it out for much longer. He was jailed and then executed for treason. The dismay of this true blessing in disguise was a shock to lovers as well as the general public. In honour of his service, the Catholic Church canonized him as St. Valentine. With time, the day he became a saint turned out to be a special day for romantic lovers and came to be known as Valentine’s Day.

Although the day is dedicated to those who are romantically involved, specifically to couples who are dating and married couples, it is celebrated by both those who are committed and those who are not. As St. Valentine was sympathetic and heroic, Valentine’s day should not only be celebrated for romanticism but also for sympathy and heroism. 

For romantic lovers, it’s the day to embrace love and warmth. For single ladies and gents, it’s the day of finding their one true love. Does true love exist? What a famous question with no clear answer. 

Love is such a complicated topic. Although many people try to give meaning to the day, there seems to be no proper definition attached to it. People say beauty is subjective, and I’d like to suggest that love is too. Different people experience the purest form of love in different ways, be it, romantic love, parental love, brotherly/sisterly love, or even the love one experiences from their pet. Some people decide to remain single and spend the rest of their lives with pets because they believe pets are pure bundles of joy that never disappoint. They make a good point, don’t you think?

Ever heard of “soulmate”? Well, then you must also know that soulmates can come in different forms. Surprisingly, it may not always be your significant other. The same goes for your Valentine unless you have a partner in crime. For the ones who are single as pringles, your valentine could be your bestie, favourite sibling, or even your parents. It all depends on how you redefine love and who you think best suits your definition of love.

Valentine’s Day is all about understanding and helping one another, being compassionate, and showering your close ones with care, warmth, and most importantly, love.

Not to forget, it is also the season of a wide variety of offers, deals, and promotions in food, fashion, and even entertainment. Even though these offers cater to young couples and the married, most of them are often enjoyed by people of all ages. Therefore, it’s a win-win situation. You may not be taken, but you too get to enjoy the day. 

Valentine’s Day is not just for lovers but for people who value the true virtues surrounding love. Even if there’s no one in particular for you to share your love with, do not forget yourself. Try embracing the inner you and treat yourself to something new and exciting. Bring out the best version of yourself and love yourself unconditionally.

Written by: Rtr. Inuri Hettiarachchi
Graphic design by: Rtr. Malithi Fernando