Valentine’s Day is celebrated on 14th February, across the world every year. The day is named after Saint Valentine or celebrated as the Feast of Saint Valentine. It celebrates his efforts in recognizing and encouraging love between people, companions, even those forbidden by society. On this day of love people across the world are known to profess their love by making their loved ones feel special, by gifting cards, bouquets, and gifts to each other. The day was predominantly celebrated in western countries, but with commercialization and increase in online communication, the world has become smaller and it is therefore now celebrated at a much larger scale across the globe.

When we talk of love, we often picture young teens and young adults confessing their love, but there is no age for love, for love has no limits. Age is just a number. Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love across all ages and can be celebrated with anyone you love, your friends, parents and grandparents. It is important in times like these, to remind yourself how lucky you are to have the unquestionable love of your parents & grandparents with you and use this opportunity to show them you care by spending quality time with them, making them feel special. It could be sitting down with them and helping them reminiscence about the love of their life or share memories of fun times, or simply take them out for a treat or gift them something special or even give them a nice tight hug.

You can celebrate this day with your grandparents by doing what they did when they were young or if they have any particular tradition like, going out for a movie, or you can pick out their favorite movie or simply celebrate the day surrounded by family. There are other ways you can celebrate this day with your grandparents and elders at home by cooking their favorite meal or doing fun activity with them  the idea is to appreciate them and make them feel a part of your world and also show them they are valued and cherished. If you know any elders who live in your area-, be sure to call or visit them so that they don’t feel alone of left out.

Grandparents share a special bond with their grandchildren. They are known for unconditional love and unwavering commitment for their grandchildren and they never miss an opportunity to connect and spend time with the little ones. Grandparents are essential members of our family and our childhood. Our childhood memories are filled with moments not only with our parents but also our grandparents who also have had an important role in our upbringing and growth. Our memories are filled with their presence, be it birthdays, summer holidays, festivals or special occasions. It is nostalgic when you hear their stories about how they met their better half, or how our country was some sixty to seventy years back. It is a major learning for us when we get to listen to their life experiences and worth seeing their eyes light up with excitement or their face breaking into a smile, giving you a glimpse of their younger self. It is in moments like these that you understand the value of being alive and also grateful for sharing these moments with your grandparents. You value the knowledge behind those wise wrinkled eyes, you cherish the time you have with them because you know life is short and opportunities with your parents and grandparents should not be missed.

This is what we need to celebrate on Valentine’s Day, the gifts and cards can never really capture what exists in our hearts. It is a day to remember and value those who have spent their time taking care of us and making us their world. Life takes its own course sometimes. In the beginning, we are too busy exploring the world and our place in it, then work and family life takes over and as we grow older, we begin to slow down and our focus gradually moves inward. Our elders teach us that love is always there, but often ignored, readily available but not appreciated. The lesson is to return to the basic truth of what remains when everything passes by or falls away. When we allow love to infuse in our life, miracles happen. Next time, an older people passes you, just pay attention to them and give them your time, for that is invaluable.