It makes those in relationships jump for joy and those of us that are single groan and duvet cocoon. I for one have never been that bothered about it, sure it's nice to get gifts and be shown you're appreciated, but the person who loves you should do that everyday not just on Feburary the 14th.
I've been thinking about love alot recently. We are bought up with movies, songs and literature that make love seem perfect, romantic and if anything goes wrong with it, can usually be fixed within 24hours. Reality is not like this, as many of us learn the hard way.
I've been IN love twice. Being in love is a good thing BUT it's not the best thing. There are many things below it, but there are also things above it. I've had to learn you cannot make the basis of it your whole life. It is a noble feeling, but it's still a feeling and as we all know you can't rely on a feeling to last in it its full intensity or to even last at all. Knowledge can last, principles can last, habits can last, but a feeling? A feeling comes and goes. And the state of being "in love" doesn't usually last. (Please don't think I'm being depressing this is going somewhere I promise)
If the old fairytale of "they lived happily ever after" is taken to mean that for the next fifty years of your life with someone you felt exactly the same as you did the day before you got married - how undesirable would that be?! Who could bear to live in such excitement for THAT long? What would become of your work, appetite, friendships and your sleep?
I'm not saying that ceasing to be IN love need not mean ceasing to love. Love is distinct from being IN love because it is not merely a feeling. It is a deep unity. Two people can have this love for eachother even at moments when they do not like eachother. They retain this love even when they could both easily, if they allowed themselves, be IN love with someone else.
That is what we all need to find. That is what I want to find. I'm so DONE with chasing. I'm so DONE with loving someone and giving my all to someone who doesn't give it all back. So what if I'm romanced? I want someone that even after those butterflies have gone, and their normal sleeping pattern has returned still loves me. I think everyone deserves that kind of love.
I havn't found that kind of love yet - I've been IN love. But I think the people I've loved didn't want to be alone (maybe I didn't want to be alone...) Or maybe I was good for their ego. Or maybe I made them feel better about their lives - but at the end of it, you don't destroy people you love. You stick with them.
Being IN love is the explosion that starts it all.
I'm not completly on a downer this valentines day... Ever looked at John 3:16 from the bible? It spells VALENTINE down the middle!
So this valentines day you are not alone, you have God who loves you so much let his SON die for you? Has anybody else in your life done that for you? By letting his son DIE for you, if you believe in him, then guess what? You will never die but have life forever with God.
I can't think of a better valentines gift.
Bethany x
