SPECIAL EDITION : THE TRUE MEANING OF VALENTINE

Each year on February 14 we peruse the store shelves for the perfect gift or card for a loved one. Valentine’s Day is a holiday shrouded in mystery and legend.

Valentine's Day is a time to celebrate romance and love and kissy-face fealty. But the origins of this festival of candy and cupids are actually dark, bloody — and a bit muddled.

There are multiple legends of Saint Valentine, and different reliquaries in the Czech Republic, Ireland, Scotland, England and France all claim to have bones attributed to a Saint Valentine.
While Catholics believe that February 14 commemorates the martyrdom of Saint Valentine, who was a Roman priest beheaded in the third century, no one can agree on exactly what he did or why he was executed. Some legends say Valentine was a bishop in Terni, Italy, who healed the sick, including the blind daughter of a prison guard whom he met while in jail for practicing Christianity in a pagan world. Some say he was sentenced to death because he tried to convert Emperor Claudius to Christianity. Others say the sentence came because he was caught secretly performing weddings, defying a ban on marriage that had been imposed by the Emperor as a solution to a military recruitment crunch. Scratch that though, that's not what I'm here to talk about.

Nowadays, the premise of Valentine’s Day is simple to understand: February 14 is a time to show appreciation for friends, families, significant others and anyone else you might love. Pinpointing the story of its namesake Saint Valentine, however, is more difficult.
But it's still a true-life story. It’s a story that teaches us a lot about love, sacrifice, and commitment which is the true meaning of Valentine’s Day.

It's not really enough to show love to your lover or significant other just for today alone... How about other days? How committed are you to your partner, how much are you willing to sacrifice for your love?. What's your loyalty Guage?? Are you faithful? Do you have a forgiving heart?... Let's not be deceived with all the gifts and cards flying around, how much does that person really mean to you? Why exactly did you choose them to be your Valentine or is it just for today? Love isn't something we celebrate in 1 day alone. Love should be celebrated every day.

I know I'm shaking a table today but someone has gat to say something, and this is on a general note... what will it profit you to cheat on your partner, to lie to someone you claim to love, to abuse a woman, to not adore your partner, to deny them of that soulful love, to make someone you claim to love not feel special everyday. And to the ladies, it's Valentine and you should appreciate him even if he doesn't buy you an expensive gift like the ones your friends got, he shows love to you every other day you shouldn't be sad because he couldn't get a gift today. Show him how much you value his presence in your life, I think that's gift enough. And if you can then do something special for him, don't just be in the receiving end.

I long to see that emotional and soulful love between couples, that relationship filled with care and understanding, the one you can't go a day without hearing your partner's voice, the kind of love where lovers are actually crazy about each other and proud of each other, the kind of love filled with Passion and strong bond and connection, mutual respect and trust ... Does that kind of love truly still exist? It hurts to know that it's rare these days and people ain't down for each other anymore. All the same I know that we still have that little goodness inside of us somewhere.

Lovers, let's step up our game a little bit and start doing the right things. Trust me, it pays to love right.

Also on the other hand, Valentine isn't just a day to show your Lover how much you love them, it's also a day to spread love to everyone around you, family and friends, both young and old and most especially to the less privileged. So as you step out today endeavor to do a good deed for Someone and watch your blessings come.

To the Singles.. Smiles, Love will still find you soon but either way... You can take yourself out today and have some fun, go to the cinema and see a movie or just hang out and buy yourself a drink. Na only single you single o, you no kill person, hahahaha..

Happy Valentineʼs Day from Nuella Roberts... Do have a good one... I love you all