CREDIT: OHGIZMO
Is a gift really worth a thousand words?

From one romantic soul to another, Valentine's Day should not be dismissed as yet another consumerist holiday, but only under the provision that it is celebrated with true intentions and sincere meaning. Whether your version of “true love” comes with a kiss or a diamond ring, do not do it for the glamour or simply for the sake of the motions — celebrate it from the depths of your heart because you want to, not because you feel you must.

Children grow up dreaming of their truly beloved along with a whirlwind of love and romance. As adults, we are still surrounded by the concepts of true love with a modernday twist on courtship. It seems the new age depiction of love, especially on Valentine's Day, is personified through boxes of chocolates, bouquets of flowers and diamond rings. Has Valentine's Day become yet another spectacle created by the marketing agencies and millionaire moguls as a plan to spurn and feed the belly of our society's consumerist stove? Are we really that shallow and easily hand-fed these ideas of romance?

The value in Valentine's Day should not be found in materialistic pleasures. In fact, love should be celebrated all year round, cherished and expressed on more than one single day. Individuals should not be worried about the wellbeing of their wallets, what gift is the perfect expression of love or about the pressure to look “perfect” — maybe gifts should not be expected at all.

Gifts have become more of a mindless motion. Love comes in all shapes and sizes; you cannot hope to identify and classify love under the brandings of commercial Valentine's Day, because it is so much more than that. Your love should never be defined by how elaborate of an evening you plan or how expensive the gift. What's precious are the moments with your loved one and the feelings you have for each other. These are the real gemstones that you will treasure for years to come.

Make a new memory every day and by all means, do not give up on February 14, just make a new meaningful memory by your own rules, not some predefined concept of the expression of love. Sure, it can involve the frivolities of the occasion, but focus on you, not the goods, because in the end it is with whom you share the moments with that matters the most.

Poet and writer Paulo Coelho said, “One is loved because one is loved. No reason is needed for loving,” and this remains true; it is not the goods that define your worth or your love and should definitely not be the primary reason for love. Love is entirely possible without purchasing a thing, skip the stores and try writing a letter from the heart, for with love it is more the quality than the quantity.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.