text: Csereș Karina Nicoleta and Mocanu Beatrice

illustration: Larisa Petcut

 

The basic thing by which the planet was brought to life and by which it lives and continues to develop is love. This energetic, divine, inexplicable from one being to another and, of course, unique living has led to wars, to countless changes in history as well as in smaller things like books, traditions and of course holidays, because people needed a special moment in which to give their love to the chosen one. Valentine's Day was built on a naive act of a lover who before his death entrusted a letter to the jailer's daughter on which he wrote From your Valentine. In the same terms of feeling, the priest Valentine is another reason that launched the celebration of love worldwide, because he formalized unions/marriages of couples, which were illegal in Rome in the 3rd century. The representative in Romanian culture of Valentine's Day is Dragobetele, who offers the same energy to girls and boys who are looking for or celebrating their bear.

Latin and Greek cultures complementing each other at some point, the myth of soulmates from Olympus mythology continued to inspire people to form divine energetic bonds/relationships that would completely change their destiny. The legend tells us about Zeus, looking down on the industrious and prosperous people on Earth who at that time had four arms, four legs and two heads, became irreversibly angry and flashed the earth, thus splitting every being into two halves. One half without the other could not bring abundance so he calmed down by watching the chaos and famine that formed.

Starting from this fact, along with the alignment of the laws of the universe, several types of soulmates were known, such as karmic relationships (those that come to develop you even though they hit you), platonic soulmates (friends), twin flames (two spirits formed from the same flame, soul mate) etc.

Looking at things this way for centuries, people began to see this soul-searching as a cognitive need that would never stop, a search for romantic fulfillment. Living in an age of technology and robotization, we increasingly forget the second part of the legend, which tells us about the bonds formed with friends and family, but not least the one with ourselves.

Taking care of ourselves, our soul, mind and body does not mean being narcissistic; it's a form of gratitude for the power our bodies have, for the talents we have, and even for each inhale and exhale. Every form of love that we materialize, nurture and develop has great importance in life as well as in our evolution.

At the same time, people's desire for romantic search and fulfillment has become an easy way for big firms to attract customers and, of course, a guaranteed form of profit. From a day that was supposed to celebrate love in all its unique forms, Valentine's Day has become just an easy way of marketing. The promotion of the holiday is one that only accepts the presence of romantic love in public, thus bringing challenges for those who are far from their partner and for those who have no one to say "I love you!".

The specific tradition according to which loved ones give and in turn receive a gift of the soul on this special day has encouraged big companies to produce the most attractive, luxurious, expensive things, forcing people to be in a constant gift competition.

Unfortunately, day by day, we forget to enjoy the little things, the simple presence of a loved one next to us, a smile, our own smile. Enjoy all that is in your inner universe, but also in the outer one to the same extent. The most important and the only thing you should forget about Valentine's Day is the monotony and simplistic types of dates that are constantly publicized. Do something crazy; go on a picnic in the woods, a park, or any quiet place where you can focus only on yourself. Paint each other, even if you have no talent; it's a wonderful experience to see how someone describes you through their lens. Dance in the rain, cook together, meditate, play, be kids! Some children who see love platonic, romantic or of any kind, innocent, pure, naive, nostalgic and full of small things and details in many colors.

Writing is also a way to show your loved one your feelings directly, whether they are close to you or far away. Guess what, you can write love letters to yourself too! Never tried it?! Bring your prettiest pens with the cutest lead, pink envelope and a mirror. Write everything you love about yourself, everything you loved about yourself, everything you will love about yourself. Compliment and complete yourself as if Zeus never broke your spirit in two. Be yourself and all the love you have in your heart. When you're done, fold the paper nicely, put it in the envelope, seal it, and give it your favorite perfume. Now you are looking at the most beautiful gift from you, to you. Read after a warm bubble bath brings extra peace and empathy (and don't forget, use your words to express how you feel and don't shy away from "I love you"). Create your own privacy, alone or with a loved one. Know yourself and most importantly RECOGNIZE your personal needs, wants and limits as well as those around you.

Who would you like to say "I love you" to now?
Now you have the chance to say it freely in the comments!