Yes, January 2020 is off the grid already. And what a month it was having everyone in pins. 2020 literally started with a blast. Starting with a very strong protest from mother Earth herself with heat waves in Greenland, forest fires in Australia and flash floods in Jakarta. Then there were whispers of a world war III followed by the wide-reaching arms of the deadly Coronavirus causing the lockdown of entire cities in China, the world’s most densely populated country. While the end of January doesn’t mean the end of any of those calamities that befell, there is hope that the beginning of a new month may bring a fresh start.
February is twice as special in Sri Lanka as it is all over the world. Because come February the flame of patriotism sparks a little brighter. With every house boutique and mall no matter where on the island it is, being adorned with the colors of the national flag. Everyone gathers around to watch the national day celebration while those who lived to watch the first national day 72 years ago have their own tale to tell on how the Union Jack came down for the last time and the National Flag of Sri Lanka (or the Sinha Kodiya as they like to call it) replaced it.
February also hosts the St. Valentine’s Day. Every February 14, people across the world exchange candy, flowers and gifts with their loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. It is considered to be the best day to express your love and care for your special one or even express your feelings to the one you love. Some even choose to get married on this day as it is considered the most romantic day of the year.
While most of this hype is now created by social media making this a very profitable month for most businesses we must not forget in the rush of gift buying that this is essentially a festival of love. While it is most commonly celebrated by lovers you can also celebrate it with your friends, your family and/or your neighbors.
“Love is blind?” Remember that common saying. While it usually is taken literally it essentially means love is boundless you can keep giving regardless of color, caste, religion and anything else that is now used to define or rather segregate people. So starting this February let us love boundlessly and irrevocably because only those shown love can spread love because it takes an entire lifetime to show love to the ones dear to you and it takes more than a lifetime to spread the love you have for your country.
While we aren’t against gift-giving (obviously 😉 ) and definitely intend to keep you posted on the art of gift-giving because it is a day to celebrate love, yet ensure that it doesn’t end there, that the ones you love don’t feel like royalty only on special days. And while we celebrate the ones we love let’s ensure that this Valentine’s Day we don’t tax Mother Earth or our beautiful Island in any way. Let’s love boundlessly yet celebrate sustainably.
