I love love.

It is the feeling that makes a chirping in the heart. Brings an ear-to-ear smile. And goosebumps.

Oh, is this just the Valentine’s love?

We humans keep finding reasons to come together, jump around, frolic, have fun, and be merry. We are social animals. Be it Diwali, Christmas, Valentine’s, the Independence day parade, or even a funeral. We look forward to coming together.

I checked my own track record for Valentine’s Day. Did I ever get to go on a Valentine’s Day date? The romantic rosy table spread, the candlelight, the love, love, love, blah, blah…no, never. Even when I was married.

But no, this is not a sad day.

I had so much in compensation for this above “loss.” I have celebrated almost every Valentine’s with my loved ones. My friends, the people who care for me. In fact, because I had these ideas of love and what Valentine’s should look like, one of my friends actually gave me a red rose, getting it from a street corner, and then getting onto the bus dramatically, and presenting it to me.

I have had my share of candlelight dinners with Fish-fry (that’s my friend’s pet name), wherein we had just the right amount of fun, as in the fairy tale majestic stories. I have had my share of so much giggling and frolicking and gorging on delicious food, like Sabudana wada for brunch.

Love has been at every single place along the way. It has been the love that I have received from my friends, colleagues, and people around me, everywhere.

I have had these little parties where we (at least 10 people) have taken numerous happy pictures together. I have people who get me chocolates on my birthday despite my age.

Currently, I have a huge source of that unconditional love; I have given birth to it.

Our kids love us unconditionally.

Our parents do too. There is no calculation, give and take, or “I did this, so you do that.”

I just got a coffee in the morning with “I love you” written on it.

It is about feeling great when you give love too. How about simply spreading love? Just being there for a friend.

Does love have to only come from that one special person who is expected to be taking us on a date on Valentine’s Day?

How about loving without a commitment of marriage or forever? Can love be around by just giving an ear to a person who simply wants to pour his or her heart out?

I was a little sad yesterday that in this global festival of love, I didn’t really have the typical “I love you forever” kind of love.

But reminding myself of all the different kinds of love has refreshed me again to my same old jumpy self. There’s so much love around, and there is so much to give too.

There’s a lot of love. And there are people around who love me for being me.

Do we really have to be perfect to be loved?

What is perfect?

~