“I can feel your heartbeat,
Running through me
Feel your heartbeat”
As I was scrolling through my phone, I came across the weirdest piece of information which says “HEART SHAPED METEORITE TO BE AUCTIONED IN TIME FOR VALENTINE’S DAY”. You know what this means? All the romantic overrated, insensible, impossible, blown out of proportion, OTT, lame, unbearable, confusing, hyped, puffed up, more than surreal, freaky, dreamy, cheesy, bizarre, shitty nonsense that has been repeated in the most cliché love story novels and rom coms about getting moon and stars and the universe for the heck of a mere romantic gesture (as in chaand taare tod ke laana), has actually come true. Talk about going all the way. Here's the link to the news
https://www.ndtv.com/offbeat/heart-shaped-meteorite-to-be-auctioned-in-time-for-valentines-day-1986582
I browsed to curb my curiosity about how the grand Valentine’s day started and one story that caught my eye was on the BBC website which talks about the existence of a priest called St Valentine in the 3rd century AD in Rome. Emperor Claudius 2 banned weddings because according to him, marriage destroys good soldiers. However, St. Valentine secretly got people married. And just analogous to any story ever, he got caught. He was put in jail and given a death penalty. He of course fell in love with the jailor’s daughter and before dying, on the holy day of February the 14th, he wrote a small text kind of letter to his beloved saying “FROM YOUR VALENTINE”. I can’t even! Like, really!
Believe it or not, Valentine’s day means no less than Christmas for a lot of couples. It starts with a heart shaped omelet, goes on with the thematic red clothing, lots and lots of red roses and heart shaped balloons and confetti, of course heart shaped chocolates and red wine; you know to go with the vibe and cupid’s bow printed tablecloths at restaurants, lots of love quotes, definitely a lot of diamonds and some of them even in the form of a ring to remember this day for the rest of the lives of the people in question, and most definitely ends with, cute PJs and other things 😘💋, again red or at least pink in color with cupid’s bow or hearts. Gosh! What’s with all these hearts?
There could be subtle ways to express your love. A lot of them exist which do not sound so daunting as a heart shape on everything everywhere. Even to make Valentine’s day non magically cliché and non clichéd magical.
1. FIGHT YOUR FEAR TOGETHER
It’s the “Zindagi Na Milega Dobara” moment for you. Pick your fear of any dimension and any intensity that terrifies you just by thinking about it. It could be watching a horror movie like “The Exorcist” or “The Conjuring” or it could be skydiving or cliff jumping, or it could be eating 20 jalepenos inside your subway roll or even a confession that you are probably already too late to make.
You will have each other’s back and get the thing out of your system, plus, it will be a great memory to cherish. Awesome!
2. REVISIT YOUR CHILDHOOD TOGETHER
Pick one or a bunch of activities, you did as a kid, and do it with your loved one. It could be anything like binge watching episodes of “The Jungle Book” or eating your favorite childhood snack or going to a video games parlour or an amusement park or playing Chinese checkers or monopoly or even a little thing like finger painting or cooking instant noodles.
They key is to relish it with your partner and keep it in your hearts forever.
3. GO CLUBBING WITH A GROUP
If you are a party person, or even if you are not but your partner is, or, who cares anyway, you could, just go clubbing with a bunch of friends. I don’t know about you, but I despise moving and grooving by myself.
However, when my friends are around, every drop of embarrassment melts away from my mind and face and adds to my drink and “I become an embarrassing "I love to party” kinda girl.
But that’s really not the point. The whole point of dedicating an entire day to someone is ruined if you party with anyone except that person. Really? 2 is a company, 3 is an odd number, 4, 5, 6; the more the merrier. That’s all that matters. Just get to partying already!
4. TICK OFF A POINT OFF YOUR BUCKET LIST TOGETHER
Believe it or not, this idea will take your Valentine’s day to a whole new level of celebration. Just do it without thinking. Skinny dipping in a lake, climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge, do a Gondola ride in Venice, Italy, go water rafting in Rishikesh, India, go to Disneyland, do a mountain bushwalk, or start the thing you wanted to like ballet class, or swimming or skating or a sport or learn to play chess.
Such a memory, stays forever. Even after you unfortunately or fortunately break up. It’s always going to be a good memory to keep. It’s your bucket list after all.
5. TV AND LOTS OF FOOD
Lastly, for people like me, doing this with full dedication, is also something extremely special. Drop the kids off at grandma’s and just sit together and without getting into any argument about the nitty gritty of your usual life, because, there’s absolutely no possibility to even take time out for an argument in my case, just sit and watch and eat.
Make it count. Make it a special quiet loving day.
Trust me, there’s nothing better out there. Not worth the effort of getting dressed and driving and parking and spending. Home sweet home my friends.
Well, as much silly and childish and deniable as the usual extreme Valentine’s day celebrations may sound, we’ve all been there and done that, either for ourselves, or for a bestie or a cousin or just someone really close. So, don’t get me wrong. I’m not anti-valentine’s day, I’m just not a fan of the overact.
I mean, there are many better ways to express your love for someone in comparison with putting “You are my BAE. I will love you forever and ever. Please be my Valentine!” as your status and even using #loveisintheair #myvalentine #iloveyou #bemyvalentine sounds extremely cheesy. Period.
Do it right. Or rather, right your wrongs. And say “I Love You” like it should be said. Have a Happy Valentine’s Day.