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Deaths Diary (Entry 30)

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Entry Thirty

Valentines Day...a day of the year dedicated to the miracle and expression of love. To be perfectly honest, Valentines Day always seemed like such a strange holiday. Don't get me wrong; it's not that I dislike the holiday, nor do I believe it to be cliche and overrated. I simply found it...rather forced.

Let me elaborate. In my opinion, love is the most powerful force on Earth. It has been said that love can make people do crazy things...and this is true. Love has done much to shape the world that you live in...in fact, it was out of love that your world was brought into being. Consider that all too famous verse from the book of John. A verse so well known that even a biblical novice knows it by heart. It reads "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son..." you know the rest, I'm sure. It was love that formed the Earth into being...it was love that saved it again. God Himself is the source of love, so I can say with complete certainty that there is no greater force than love.
Am I capable of love? Well, in a previous entry, I stated that I cannot fall in love...that does not mean that I do not love. I of course love my Creator and Lord. I love this planet, though I do often see so much turmoil and strife within it. I love children, as I have said many times. I also love peace...something that I wish I could find more of. So yes, I do love...and as I love, I also can hurt. With that said, I will admit that there have been times that felt hurt because of love, but I digress...one story at a time.
Now that I've spoken so much on the subject matter of love, I'm sure you're wondering to yourself what I honestly think of Valentines Day. Well, to be honest...in some ways, it almost misses the point of what love is.

Many people make the mistake of believing that love is an emotion...that it is something you feel. This is actually false. Love is not an emotion...it is not a noun or state of being. Love is a verb. Love is an action. It's something that you do and commit yourself to. Anyone can say that they love someone, but if their actions don't show it, then there is no love...just empty words. Actions speak louder than words, and the same can be said for love. You show love through your actions and your behavior...not in your words. True, words can convey feelings, and I'm not saying that they can't, but don't fool yourself into believing that that is all that is required to truly experience love. Now, let me be clear that when I say that love is an action, I am not referring to sex. Sex is the unity of two soul mates...but that is a discussion for another time. Some of you humans believe that sex is a sign of love...and will occasionally use this as a way to demonstrate love. Allow me to say again...that the act of love and the act of sex are not the same thing. Please try to understand that.
There is also a difference between liking someone and loving someone. If you like someone, then you may talk to them a lot and you may help them if they need something...however, there is no grand connection and you quite often put your own priorities over theirs. However, if you love someone, you find yourself putting their priorities over yours. You make time for the one you love and they become a crucial part of your life. I once heard a father say to his disobedient son: "I love you, but I can't stand your attitude." This is again another way to look at love. You care about someone to the point that you want them to succeed and you want to care for them, even when their own actions and choices disgust you. This is the power of love...to change people and to draw them closer together.

Now, to the subject of Valentines Day...it is a holiday centered around love, correct? Well, in some ways, yes. I've seen this holiday bring about many connections and acts of love that nobody can deny or overlook. This is why many fairy tales and stories distinguish a standard kiss from a kiss of "true love." True love is not something that can be hidden...and it is easily recognizable. Has there been true love on Valentines Day? Yes, there has been, and I suspect there always will be. However, at the same time, Valentines Day often enforces the confused assumption that love can be expressed through material items with no actions involved. Does giving candy to a person demonstrate love?
I'm not saying that Valentines Day is wrong, nor am I saying that sharing sweets or kindness on this holiday is inappropriate...all I'm saying is that these are simply acts of kindness and tenderness towards others...not love. Real love comes from giving your thoughts, time, and affection towards someone...not just candy and cards.
I've seen many people that have felt more hurt on Valentines Day than they have felt loved....particularly in adolescents. When you are a child, you do not take Valentines Day seriously, and as an adult you are typically not judged or berated for not having a relationship. As an adolescent, however...appearance is everything. The more popular kids get the most cards and chocolates...while those who are not as popular are left with nothing. Things like this are probably what keep me from fully understanding and appreciating this holiday. Where is cupid for that young man in the corner? Where is the love for that girl by herself next to the window? It isn't there...and it hurts.

I know that Valentines Day has already passed (I do apologize for not writing sooner...very busy lately), but I wanted to offer you my opinion on the holiday and offer some reassurance. Rest assured that I do not hate this holiday. I encourage all of you to share compassion and affection towards others...to share kindness and to exchange sweets and such things with your peers and relations. However, please do not lose sight of what love truly is. It's not a message in a card, and it's not a baby in diapers with a bow and arrow. Love is something that you do...it's an action. It is an awesomely powerful force that has changed and shaped this world time and time again. Share the affection, the kindness, and perhaps even the love.
For those of you who felt left out or alone this holiday, do not feel discouraged or heartbroken. True love is something that takes time...it does not happen overnight and it is not defined or set in stone by a single day of the year. Do not lose heart, and know that there is far more to your life than what lies within the boundaries of adolescence.

I believe that is all that I have to say for now. I will write again when time permits...and when I can think of another topic to discuss. Until next time.

Sincerely,

A.D
Entry 30

I am so sorry for being gone so long...it feels like it's been forever since I last uploaded anything. I've been busy with Mika on our new site :iconmikaandkuri:. We've been working very hard on that site and having a great time...but now I felt the need to come back to this site and update a little.
So, I figured that I would go back to my roots and revisit the Death Diary Entries. Let me be clear that I still am continuing these...it's just been a while since I've written any and I need to get back into the mood of it. Hahaha!

Anyway, since Valentines Day came along, I figured I would let Death talk about about love rather than just the holiday itself. I often feel like love is taken for granted and underrated...that we sometimes forget what love really is...and I often feel like Valentines Day doesn't help us remember at all. Maybe that's just my opinion though. I really hope that you all enjoy it!

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TheBurningSpirit's avatar
Wow, out of all the entries that I've read so far, this one has much meaning embedded into it. In fact, I actually cried a bit in the end not because I have felt the pain of being alone on Valentine's Day but because it shows what real love is and how it will show when one is patient enough.

As always, beautifully written :)