A Memorable Valentines

191. Time has flown by so fast and now we find ourselves facing another valentines day. Our 6th one in fact. Since the fist time we've celebrated this day dedicated to lovers, I've seen and experienced the many ways love is expressed. Through roses, love songs, letters, dates and kisses. Everywhere, shops put up decorations on their windows of red hearts, arrows, cupids and couples kissing. On the way to the office, I saw several boys, lining up at the entrance of my old all-girl alma mater with roses and chocolates. The girls that would be receiving the attention would incite admiration and envy in their own sex. I remembered even sending myself a gift just to not feel out of place, labeling the gift from a secret admirer. But you know what? Love isn't just shown through those material things accompanied by sweet nothings. I suddenly remember from religion class that there are actually many different kinds of love. Love for god. Love for family. Love for comrades. The romantic kind. And lastly, the lusty kind. I believe that we all have felt these kinds of love at some point in our lives. If not all than most of them. When I woke up that valentines day, the first thing I did was to thank God for today, for my family and for you. Even though my mother was a bit flighty because she wanted to go to the office earlier than usual, leaving me no time for brainstorming gift options for you, she did patiently help me with my wardrobe that day. She knew I had a date with you and even joked with me. I didn't expect this day to be completely magical as I'd hoped, but I appreciated that everything that happened that day went absolutely right. I didn't prepare a gift for you because although I racked my brain about gift ideas, I came up empty. To ease my dilemma you told me to buy something useful to you- thus the boxers. I seem to be giving you boxers as gifts more often. I wonder what that means. That day, I was just waiting for you at the office, chatting with a co-worker who undeniably had a crush on me but was absolutely not my type, when the radio suddenly played our song "how did you know." When I heard it, I felt my heart squeeze in my chest, like the old days, I had the feeling that you would be arriving at any moment so I stood up in my seat and my intuition couldn't have been more spot on for I saw you alighting from the jeepney. Our office security guard, upon seeing you, opened our doors and you walked toward me, your arms filled with the most beautiful roses and a breathtaking giant handwritten letter. Co- workers cheered. I gushed and we kissed as I received your gifts. Truthfully, I hadn't expected flowers at all, much less the giant handwritten card. I was pleasantly surprised and deeply touched that you made that card, even with all the grammar challenges and the tiny font filling the entire two foot page. The meaning behind those words washed over my heart like a hot wave upon the shore, an affirmation and declaration of love and appreciation. No one else could have gone to great lengths to confidently display their affection in public, if it wasn't true and good. And your love is exactly that. But even without all that thoughtful flourish, I would have still known you loved me and would have been content just being with you for the day. We ate at a great Chinese restaurant that we recently discovered at the Terra Dolce building and since our giant piece chess game didn't push through, we went back home to drop off the gifts and do some picture taking to commemorate the day before we continued our valentine date. As we went to the mall, with raised eyebrows we observed the many people we encountered. Some were in peaceful bliss like ourselves, others were fighting, crying, some were still eagerly searching for the perfect gift, and some girls went about carrying their roses like proud trophies, still, others were alone. Young and old, it seemed everyone was at the mall that time getting into the lovey- dovey spirit of the season. We encountered a classmate and waited with her as she waited for her other girlfriends for a single's date. It was good to catch up with her. We browsed cellular phones and bought my gift for you at the department store and drank your favorite mango shake from zagu. That was actually your second mango shake of the day since your first green mango shake was from the Chinese restaurant. We watched for a short time the free mall concert that was being given before you finally accompanied me home. We cuddled for a bit at the sofa, watching television, and I gave u a relaxing whole back and arm massage using some special aromatherapy oil. It was sweet and romantic. When we kissed and said our eventual goodbyes, we reflected on what a perfect day we had. It was definitely a valentines day I will remember for the rest of my life.