February has come and gone, I know. But it doesn't mean I cannot talk about love anymore. Love is something that you talk about everyday, wherever you are.
Several years ago, when I was still studying in Manila, there was a radio show called "Love Notes". It was aired over DWTM and hosted by Joe D'Mango. It was so successful that it eventually created a spin-off on television. Anyways, I didn't really tune in to the radio show but was able to watch some episodes of the T.V. show. The concept was formulaic - Joe D'Mango read love notes, or stories, sent in by viewers/listeners and the story would be featured on the show. The stories were nothing extraordinary but they were able to successfully paint different pictures of love. There were times when, while watching the show, I'd remark to myself how amazing love really is for people were willing to do anything and everything just to make love work in their lives.
Last February 16, I was witness once again to another attempt at painting a perfect picture of love.
My aunt, Maribel Veloso, was invited by some Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan students to give a talk about the different ways of saying "I Love You". Of course, the audience was made up of college students. And they all had their own perceptions of love. It was an honest and lively discussion that opened my eyes to how today's young people look at love; how they expressed their love to others.
The first part of the talk dwelt mostly on people's different views of love. It varies a lot, you'll be surprised. For me, love is mysterious; it is something that brings out the best or the unexpected in each one of us. It makes us do things we never did before. For others, love meant greater things like companionship, compatibility, togetherness. Love meant a lot of things for different people. So it's really difficult to pinpoint a specific definition of love. There is one thing I am sure of, though...love is infinite. It never ends.
Then the discussion moved on to what one can do to keep love in full swing. What my aunt told them was really basic knowledge. So basic that we sometimes forget about them. Things like letting the person know he is special by touching or hugging. Spending quality time together, listening and communicating, and even giving space to each other when needed. I know of a couple who takes turns going on trips or vacations (within or out of the country) regularly so they can have quality time on their own. You see, like what my aunt said, I believe that being a couple does not mean losing yourself and becoming one with your partner. For your relationship and your love to keep growing, each of you has to stay in tune with your individual selves. You should not lose your self or your identity just because you are the other half of someone else.
The question and answer portion was the most interesting part of the talk. Believe me, those students can make you think! Some of the situations they were involved in were common but there were those that were really unusual. A love triangle. Unreciprocated or unrequited love. Same sex relationships. Women wanting to make the first move. It was fun listening to their stories and I marveled at how honest they were about their feelings! It led me to thinking whether I was as brave and upfront about my feelings when I was their age.
Like Joe D'Mango's "Love Notes", the talk opened my eyes to more wonderful things about love...the best realization of which is that it brings people of different backgrounds, beliefs, and preferences together. It is truly universal.
No matter how many shows like "Love Notes", or how many "love talks", I attend, I know I won't be able to truly find the perfect and complete meaning of love. All I am sure of right now is that love is a wonderful kind of "wonder"...and it is a feeling I'd like to cherish for the rest of my life.
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