Vanishing value of Valentine

Vanishing value of Valentine

“Unfortunately, hours after the headache and hangover has subsided, reality will sober you up.  You will realize you took it too hard. Too personal. Too serious. Like the world was ending. Now look at you. Poor in the strictest sense of the word.

Writes Musyoka Ngui

February 14. Valentine’s Day. The overrated day of receiving. The draining day for givers. Barely two weeks after Njaanuary; logic dictates that this day arrives when one has not yet recovered from the heavy spending of the previous December holiday.

Sadly, the day meant for happiness turns out to be for mourning. Those whose expectations are not met pull surprise break ups. Like your union was all about 1/365 days. Is that all that mattered? To be sincere, this day discriminates against men. Women have a way of conducting peaceful robbery complete with fake smile.

The problem started when the Valentine was commercialized. The business community advertised that if it does not involve exchange of cards, roses and bars of chocolates then it is a normal day. Recent developments serve to worsen an already bad situation. The list of demands includes dinner, clothes, shoes, electronics etc.

Good thing about monetary arrangements is that they are objective. If love hangs on the thin thread of money you can conduct a litmus test and observe the results. Take a razor and cut the very string. If the relationship was prostitution it will collapse like a Nairobi flat built hurriedly by a landlord in order to burry unsuspecting tenants. Thus should you suspect that you are running a high maintenance project, brother, cut your losses.

On the other hand, look at the day as an opportunity to invest. Of course you will have saved before then. Calculate how much to fork out. Assess whether the ground is fertile. Express your interest. Who knows, a simple gesture may grant you unfettered access to goodies all night and many moons to come. Good luck.

Then if you have friends with benefits resist the urge to treat them during Valentine. You will create illusions. Just wait after the day passes and do what you wanted to do. This will spare you that blank stare of “I thought we were err.. friends…more than that…..”

Dimwits who think that Valentine was for romance could not be more misguided. Come on, this is not a day to propose. Ati you kneel down on one knee and pop up the Kenyan Shilling Question of will you marry me? Seriously! Go have your brain checked. I mean that is too mundane. Very obvious. It won’t surprise anyone. She will pretend being taken aback but truth is she saw it coming. And with that I wish you get a NO for an answer because of your poor timing.

Haters this is for you. If you have never received any gift of the Valentine it does not mean that the Valentine does not exist. Better accept and move on. Or do something constructive like working. Should you be overwhelmed by loneliness grab your most faithful friend and enjoy company. Misery loves company. You will find a great one in the beer bottle. Drown your sorrows.

Unfortunately, hours after the headache and hangover has subsided, reality will sober you up.  You will realize you took it too hard. Too personal. Too serious. Like the world was ending. Now look at you. Poor in the strictest sense of the word. No penny, in debt, stressed and empty. You will be a fool to contemplate suicide just because someone jilted you.

The writer is a 3^rd year student of Bachelors of Arts Degree in Communication and Media at Chuka University. He blogs at musyokangui.blogspot.com

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