LOVE IS IN THE AIR ....                                   

The entire world is out to celebrate 14th Feb, i.e., The Valentine’s Day, a day to cherish love & affection towards their better halves. Gift shops are overflowing with love-y dove-y stuff. Guys & girls are throwing their money around to impress their partners. The whole globe is being painted red (pun intended). Oh yes, the season of love....

But as I sit in my room, I realise that love is eternal, it is everlasting, it knows no boundaries, & it is definitely not restricted to a single day or month in a year.

For me, true love is what my parents had, one soul shared by two bodies. Today, even after 4 years of her death, my father is still very much in love with his beloved wife. She is always in his mind, being sorely missed, with each tick of time.

"There flowed a love, that couldn't be seen, but only felt."

Ah..... My mother radiated love. She was the source of love in this family. The never-ending supply we could all draw from. She balanced us all out evenly. I usually wonder, how did she do it? Never complaining, doing all the household chores, paying enough attention to dad so he doesn't feel neglected, taking care of us & also doing her job. All of these things made her perfect in my book. She did all of it & yet lived her life to fullest. But when she went, that never ending supply depleted all of a sudden & I realised that it had a huge impact on my dad too. 

 “Leaving Earth. No Weight. Heavy Heart."

He became a walking dead, no, not in that zombie-like way, his body is present here, but his soul, the life in that body was lost at the very same moment, when she took her last breath. I see him today, his shoulders have sagged, the shine in his eyes is replaced by dark circles, I see the face of a man who has been robbed off everything by the cruel fate.

And at this moment, I actually understand the meaning of - Your life can be wonderful even in a trash can if you have the right person to share it with or you can live in a huge bungalow with every possible luxury at the tip of your fingers, but if you don't have your soul with you, you'll be in ruins.

That's how I see, that he has given up on life. He isn't living, he is just existing... counting his days.

"The woods are lovely, dark & deep,

But I've promises to keep,

& mile to go before I sleep,

& miles to go before I sleep... "

                              - Robert Frost

I think that's what he is doing, keeping his promises before he goes to the eternal sleep, his promises to his children. And the funny part is, no one is to blame except for the unexpected circumstances. But at-least, I know that true love exists in real life too, no matter how much it hurts him now, at-least it gave him fond memories to carry with himself, at-least he got to experience what actual love is, which many people get deprived of.

"I'm nothing special, of this I'm sure. I'm a common man with common thoughts & I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me & my name will be soon forgotten, but I've loved another with all my heart & soul, To me, this has always been enough...."
                                                                             - Nicholas Sparks

Their love wasn't for a single day in a year, He never showered her with romantic gifts yet she was impressed by him because what they had is beyond the comprehension of our generation. Their love was reflected on how she doted on him when he came back from work, how they went for little strolls after dinner, how they quietly talked late at nights, how he always managed to bring a smile on her face by just doing a small gesture. 

They were normal. They were no Romeo-Juliet. But what they shared, an all en-compassing love.... was extraordinary, it was exceptional & I personally think that it can give competition to love stories like Romeo & Juliet.

P.S – A very happy Valentine’s Day & I hope you all find your soul mate & get your happily ever after.