NOT FOR VALENTINE

As a growing dude, I had a view about Valentine’s Day….to me, it was a day to be with your girlfriend in some sort of special way (well, I didn’t even know married people had a business with valentine)

Between you and I – As at that time, I didn’t even know how to ‘toast’ a girl, let alone, have a girlfriend.

Somewhere in the past…. I had a crush on one Temitope (Surname withheld) back in primary school…. I remember when I would always share my seat with her cos I thought she was the finest girl – ever. I would gladly hand her my pen when asked and I was also willing to part with my pocket money if she had asked….it went on and on like that till she left the school in primary five. I was stupidly hurt….. Nobody knew how sad I was after she left…. You can’t believe that I lost interest in school just cos Tope left; I stopped looking forward to school in the morning as usual…it was stupid. But guess what? My dad was a very sharp shooter with the cane and I wasn’t a big fan of his strokes, so I didn’t have a choice but to continue with school.

In JSS 1, there was this girl in my class called Abimbola and yeah, I thought she was the ‘bomb’ but till date, I still can’t explain why I got embarrassed after she handed me a love letter at the close of school. The only phrase I can source off my memory right now is “Your eyes are like sparkling stars; your voice takes me to and fro heaven…”

In my mind, I was like - “Kai! This girl don spoil!” and that surprisingly put me off…I thought she was too blunt…I was shy and those words embarrassed the heck out of me. I avoided her….I couldn’t stand her guts.

As time elapsed, I grew wiser…especially when I met this adult-bad-influence called Ogonna….well, he thought me and my friends T and B how to play the game of love eeerrr let’s say relationship and ‘toasting’ chics….(me and my crazy childhood)

I don’t have space to go pen details right now but really, I met a lot of girls/women along the way and I had numerous assumed valentines…..but….as I write right now…none of those experiences come to mind.

I’m on a different cruise right at the moment…it’s a new year, a new season, a new life…. I can’t pen a remarkable valentine and I don’t regret it…respect to my “Ex’es”

After I met C on that fateful day, every other day became ‘Our Day’….miles beyond Valentine…..how else can I describe it? She became the redefinition of what I had ever known as ‘Love’. It was not about “This day” (Valentine’s Day)….it was about yesterday….it is about today….I also pray for tomorrow…. as long as life permits….

Sometimes, the whole business appears unreal; differences and stuffs…arguments and silence but somehow, we manage to float above it….the good days surpasses and over-shadows the sad ones….and that’s a good thing if you ask me.

Dear C, I wish I could auto-fit into all your desires but hey, this is just me…I can’t be someone else neither can I be everything you want…but like I always say – I'll try. I am not the best man alive; I gat issues, I forget anniversaries, I don’t pay attention, I don’t know what gift to buy for occasions, I don’t always say “I Love You”, sometimes I'm so much in a hurry and would skip the hug, I sleep off without saying “Good night”, I can be very boring sometimes (I guess), I’m not romantic, I don’t call…(you know the rest na) but please, don’t assume all of this for “No Love For You”….Don’t assume all of this for some sort of ungrateful and wicked plot to make futile the love and affection you’ve shown me through the past year…..we all have our short-comings…(same for you reading this right now).

Dear C, do you remember that picture up there? Sure you do…..That’s the symbol of the first Valentine we shared (last year)….from a distance….funny how things have changed now…..anyway…that’s by the way.

I could have written you a poem but I think poems are flowery and fictitious….word play on this would be vain to my state of mind….

I might not be the type of man that will bring you flowers everyday and paint Love in hues and shades of all sort…. but one thing is for sure – I Love you and that’s the best way I can put it.
My heart flow is pregnant with so much…… this piece feels so incomplete to me but, let me pause and save the rest for another day…….

Valentine is conventional, it only lasts for ‘24 hours’….let’s leave it for the crowd…. I propose we stand out cos I want to love you yesterday, today, tomorrow and as long as life as take me.

Here’s wishing you a Happy J/C’s Day….. it don’t sound very sexy but make we leave am like that!

Sign, J

PS: Now I have learnt that Valentine is not restricted to lovers only...we should show love to everybody around us, including our enemies....God bless you.