February 14th has rolled around rather quickly this year, and while I have watched Valentines Day go by countless times before, sometimes as a couple, most of the time not, one quote grabbed my attention this year:
“To love is to completely place our happiness in the happiness of another” – Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibnitz.
After all, anyone can say they like you and yeah you like them. Cute & funny, good job and great car so you’re sorted then, happiness achieved! Congratulations, you have a valid date for V-Day this year. Society is proud of you. Please collect your heart shaped chocolates and mushy card from aisle 6 to give to your ‘significant’ other and join in the mass celebration of love today – you are officially a member.
Of course – that’s all just rubbish.
As we get older we come to realise that’s just your own selfish need to prove to the world that you are now certified as a 'loveable' person. You can now get married, have babies, and put your downpayment on that block of land.
All this seems purely coincidental to finding the one you love to me however. I mean, I can buy my own house, (well – rent) I already have a great career and I don’t really care for babies.
Instead, for me, never have I been so concerned with another person’s happiness and general state of well being before re the quote above. It’s a scary feeling. Caring so much for somebody else it hurts.
For the first time in a really long time, I feel like I have something to lose, which is a hard feeling to manage. On one hand, it’s a beautiful thing to find somebody that you care that much for – on the other, you find yourself in a constant state of flux, worrying that circumstance will take it away from you. However if you want to fly, you gotta give up what worries and weighs you down. And just do it.
After all, whats life worth living if you feel like there’s nothing or nobody you’d change for? Being strong and independent is fine, but thinking you’ve taken the hard road alone is another, you’re taking the easy option out.
When you opt to share your life with someone, that’s the harder road, but you’re saying its worth the mess – to come home to that special person every day that makes your journey through life that much more interesting. After all;
“Happiness is only real when shared” – Alexander Supertramp a.k.a Christopher McCandless from Into the Wild
Being a traveller I firmly believe that after seeing lots of amazing and wonderful things this world has to offer, it's much better if you had someone to share it with.
So don't ruin the journey by stressing about the destination.
Thats my mantra for this years Hallmark Holiday. If you can’t enjoy the ride with someone than what’s it all for anyway? So if he doesn’t chase you when you walk away this year, keep walking. Don’t worry, Valentines Day comes around every year.