Love me for a reason, let the reason be love (and not religion)...

I cannot help but say this over and over again, coz I still have not been able to embrace it - this is my first single Valentine's Day in almost a decade. 9 years to be exact (but it's still like almost 10). And it's not the single part that baffles me, it's the almost decade part that does! Valentine's Day has always been kind of a doomsday for me since I can remember. Most of the memories associated with this day bring me a lot of hurt, sadness and an instant supply of truckloads of sighs and more. The decade part of it makes me feel old all of a sudden and the single part catches on.. This is NOT what I had thought it would turn out to be.

My first Valentine's Day ever, was in 2002 with Dumbo, but we were not dating back then. The one I celebrated first was in 2003, as a couple with him. Now given all the problems that Dumbo had with communication, I was hell bent on actually making him celebrate this day with me, considering he never met me that often. Our usual meetings used to be me on the way to my classes, taking the longer path because his house was on the way, and stopping by just for a minute and giving him a call saying that I was standing downstairs, and he would come out by the window and wave at me and disappear in a matter of seconds, after which he would critique my look till the time I reached my destination, while we were on the phone.

But on V day I had it all planned out in advance. I had been saving up most of my allowance to get him the perfect present. Since I had no other significant expenditure, I managed to get him a lot of things, a really expensive Wine colored shirt, a pretty expensive watch, chocolates, flowers, some accessories, a huge greeting card, a soft toy to make him remember me, and made him a mixed tape too. I called him in the morning while on my way to the college, saying that I will be coming to see him on my way back home. He bluntly refused to meet me saying that he was going out for a movie with his guy friends. Well, since I had decided everything, I went there anyway, and called him up. He showed up at the window, and asked me to go back. I requested, pleaded, cried, yelled, and I stood there for 4 long embarrassing hours while he refused to come downstairs for even one minute. After 4 hours I threw everything in the gutter nearby and set it on fire. Obviously, I was mad. This was the start of a decade of horrible V days to come.

For the next 4 years I spent the usual abhorrent and detestable Valentine Days with him, and one of them I actually spent with some stranger (Note to self : Blog about the extremely hot guy in the opposite window), after which I left for my pilot training. There I met Justin, and the following Valentine's Day was also filled with a lot of tension and distance between us, it was just before our break up. The next 3 Valentine's were spent with Ryan, the first one of which I had planned a lot of special things ahead of time and is probably the only real and the best Valentine's Day I have had yet. The one that followed was really bad, coz all we did was spend a normal day. He didn't even wish me back. The next one was the same too, if not worse. This Valentine's however, I just received a call from him wishing me Happy V Day. REALLY? After we break up you wanna wish me a happy V day?! Are you freakin' crazy? Whatever.

By now I have really complicated feelings for this day. Actually I do believe that if you love someone, everyday should be V day, so it really doesn't make sense to have a special day for celebrating that. But then on the other hand I also think that if you're in love, you should only cherish an extra opportunity to celebrate it and make each other feel special. My Dad is out of town right now, and when he was leaving home 2 days ago for his trip, My Mom was upset coz he wont be able to be here on V day, to which he was like 'who celebrates V day anyway? We're freakin' 50 years old now, V day is stupid and it's a way to loot people by making them buy expensive presents and create fights between couples with all the lameness'.

Guess what, he gave her a surprise, he is on a flight back home today and it's all so happy in here. Now that, is love. The man does not believe in V day one single bit. But it made his wife very very happy, and that is what matters, I guess! They won't do anything, I know. She'll prepare his favorite dish and they will probably have a drink together in the evening. No special outing. They'll probably cuss at the TV while they have their drinks. They can really get on my nerves but they're perfect for each other. They fight day in and out, every single day, but for 2 days Dad was away, and Mom was running around like a headless chicken. Ah, the twisted ways of love!

On what better day could I get the 19th truth, where I get to express my views on Religion and Politics. Now I respect every religion, but I am not a religious person. Sure, I do everything as a Hindu but that is just because I live with my parents and they ask me to do it. I do believe in karma, I do believe in the divine force, but I am not into idol worship. If there is God, he is everywhere. I don't think he goes and sits inside a particular Temple/Mosque/Church/Gurudwara/Shrine. A silent prayer is all it takes, and if you pray for something from your heart, he will listen to you. I also do not believe in same religion marriages, I mean religion should not be the factor on which love or marriage can be decided. You love someone, you love them irrespective of their background or location or status. That's how I love. That's how love is!

As far as politics go, I live in the country which is probably the eye of all the corruption. But I really don't know, coz we really never know what goes on behind those government walls. I just try and make the world a better place in my own way. I remember I went to cast a vote last time, and I was not allowed to cast a null vote just because having enough null votes can call for a re-election. So there, that is what happened to me. As far as my political knowledge goes, I spent all the time sleeping on the back benches in my Political Science classes, and scored next to Zero in my Civics test at school. Thankfully I passed out every time coz we had a combined paper for History and Civics, haha. I should really take more interest in politics. Hmmm..

By the way has anyone watched The Infidel? It's a comedy movie that touches both these topics. Religion and Politics. It's about this guy who is a Muslim living in Britain and just before his son's wedding to a Muslim girl (whose stepfather is a Political big shot in Pakistan), he finds out that he is actually a Jew. It's a nice movie!

So here's wishing everyone a super awesome Valentine's Day! Single or not, the day is all about love. So express it! Be it your friends, family, lovers, pets, strangers on the road or just yourself. Express it!!! As for me, I am making me some Red Velvet Hot Chocolate before I take a small nap and then get back to business!


Lots of Love to all my readers,
Apfel
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