Congratulations to all the lazy lovers out there. You get to have one day where you make amends for being such a consistently miserable lover over the past months. The unanswered calls, the endless bickering all seem like a distant memory come February 14 as couples seem to be in desperate mood to save the last of their relationships. Valentine’s Day seems to give every relationship a lifeline and that there is encouraging.
As couples celebrate the gift of love on Valentine’s, the truth is that this day is used as a module of reflection. Everyone on this day seems to be looking for clarity as not many people might be sure of where they stand in one another’s life. Valentine’s Day triggers a lot of insecurities with people asking themselves if they are truly loved by their significant others or just options. Many questions are answered on this day. The nervy wait for that phone call inviting you to a romantic dinner at one of those plush hotels around Kampala might just end into a nervous breakdown as someone gets the painful realisation that they mean nothing to someone they held so dear.
There is nothing more devastating than realising that you were just a side meal, a means to an end or even worse; an afterthought. How does someone forget about you on the day love is supposed to be celebrated. This day only amplifies what is already on the ground. If couples are having a great time with each other, Valentine’s Day will only highlight what they already have and if some of these couples are going through some torrid times, this day will even drain these relationships further.
Love is made on this day just as much as love is abused and broken. It’s the painful truth. Forget the heavenly scented petals and colour of red plastered everywhere in the city, someone tomorrow night is getting dumped. As much as Valentine’s Day always arranges some great heartbreaks, it has also produced the Greatest Escapes. Serial cheaters get to die one last time as they always somehow play their cards smartly to survive the wrath of their partners. Instantly, phone passwords get more complex as cheaters hope to postpone their ‘death’. Clara will look to juggle between her first love Kenneth and her bankroller Hajji Sekatawa in order to retain them both. Jeff has two expectant girlfriends waiting to be treated as the official queens on that day and the two girls will get the shock of their lives.
For the unemployed gentlemen who go masquerading as company managers, your girl whose ‘goods’ you have been eating shamelessly is staring at the gate as she recites the alphabet up to ‘UAW’. Valentines Day is here tomorrow. Let’s keep our heads firmly placed on our shoulders and not blow things out of proportion. If your girlfriend receives a heartfelt message ending with a cozy “I love you” from Uncle Cosmas, try to believe that her ‘uncle’ actually cares for her quite a lot. Valentine’s Day is more than just a one day flower extravaganza so let’s keep the love glowing throughout. Happy Valentine’s everyone.