Love Me Do

So, yes, I know, how much more cliched can it get, writing a post about love on Valentine's Day of all days. I've lived through all of these single so far, and today is no different. And it isn't as though I'm really starry eyed about this entire concept. But today I woke up happy, and I was upbeat all day, listening to mushy numbers and generally being a complete sap. And then I went out for dinner with the sibling and a friend, and waited for half an hour as no tables were available. In that half hour I saw a lot of very badly dressed people, folks holding hands, giving each other flowers, looking like they were in love or desperately trying. And yet, the cynicism did not really reach me today.

I've been wondering for some time now, why it has become so inordinately difficult for us to be upfront about love. Why is it that Valentine's Day is allowed to mean either a vast marketing conspiracy of the Archies/ Hallmark conglomerates, or another day to do what you do everyday, but pay more money and wait in longer queues for it? If you're seeing someone you splurge on a fancy gift, an outfit and dinner, and if you're single you either crib about your singledom or smirk at the foolish twosomes who actually fall for silly things like these. Why is it that a basic enough need to be understood, to be a companion, to not be alone, has become so mired in attitudes and perceptions?

And then there are the ones who love, but will not let it be. They will resist, fight it to the last, because its somehow not a part of their plan. They never planned on being with someone, their family will disapprove, they have too much on their plate. Clarity, where on earth is clarity? If you love, and you're lucky enough to have that returned to you, then do you really think that somehow depriving yourself of it will make your family happy, or clean up your cluttered plate, or make your grand life plan a better success?

I'm a romantic and I don't want to help it. It isn't as if I haven't seen the downside of it, how can one not? I've seen the hurt, the devastation, the struggle to get out of bed every morning. But being comfortably numb is at best a stage, not a solution. Being an automaton isn't living, its better to be broken than to be untouched and lost in an eternity of wondering. Yes I know, I'm not really in a position to say that I understand the pain of it and so whatever I say is superfluous. Maybe it is. But it is essential for me to believe in the possibility of this, the chance that there are still people who aren't content to play it safe, who are ready to feel, however incredible the highs and terrible the lows entailed in that path are.

Finally, since I've been listening to this song all day, its only fair that I subject you to it.

Isn't it strange, the way things can change,
The life that you lead turned on its head,
Suddenly someone means more than you fell for,
A house and its yard turns into home..
I'm sorry but I meant to say
Many things along the way
This one's for YOU..
Have I told you I ache..have I told you I ache..
Have I told you I ache...for YOU?
(Ache-James Carrington)

This one is for all the YOUs of this world, from all the MEs of the world, with lots of love. Happy Valentine's Day, and I hope it means something this time.