A Valentine Story

I have no valentine story. Not my own. It's been quite a while since I had a valentine and I've been searching for a nice, little romantic, nakakakilig story from my past, but I just couldn't remember any.

One of the best love stories I've heard is that of my Mom and Dad's. Aside from all the romantic stuff my Dad did to win my Mom's heart more than 50 years ago, I could say it's the best love story there ever was. Why? Because it is a success story of what love truly should be.

I cannot simply tell the story here. I don't think I'd manage to string up the words to relate it to you. So, here's a journal entry my Dad wrote about Mom over 50 years ago:

How I Met and Fell In Love with Her
August 1955

I met her once one moonlight night
down at the kiosk in front (of) our place;
and from that time I saw her sight
I always want to look back and retrace.

But then quite suddenly she's lost
not knowing where or when she went;
Quite suddenly I too felt most
unhappy, restless, wishing to find where she went.

Eventless, long did summer pass
And there she was back at that place
Gathering my courage in a mass
I told her of my love and how she gazed!

I thought it was a hopeless case
Because I felt unworthy of
Her love, her beauty, and her grace;
But I just went on hoping for thereof.

Then on September twently one
my hope, my dream, my joy, my all
Did answer "yes" and said there's none
She cares for more "darling" did she call.

The happiest man I thought I was
At last my dreams was all so true
She's mine, She's mine! That blissful lass
Gone were my heartaches and awful rue.

All `round me looked bright, beautiful
So sweetly seemed the breeze to sing
My life became `ol wonderful
All round me looked bright, beautiful
So sweetly seemed the breeze to sing
My life became `ol wonderful
Joy and hap'ness to me my love did bring.

I kissed her once, she kissed me too.
To seal our love, our hope, our joy,
And happy were those days did go.
As if time without an end to enjoy.
The `twas summer season again...

Grabe I'm soooo kilig... My parents will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary three years from now. I never knew that their "anniversary" was September 21! And all along I thought they just remembered Martial Law. Sigh...

What about you? If you were to

share your valentine story, how would it go?

What to Give Your Crush On Valentine's Day

My friend's been agonizing the past week about what give or do for his crush on Valentine's day. So the past week we've been brainstorming about it and we've been trying to get bits and pieces from my past experiences.

My recommendation was to simply send a Valentine's day gift. Why send it? I'll explain later. Any of the following would be great:

1. Flowers - Of course, it's a standard. I remember my officemate Leo gave each of the girls in our unit a long-stemmed red rose. And then he gave Michelle a whole bunch. There's nothing like flowers! Aside from the excitement of receiving flowers in the office, the anticipation of finding out who sent it also gives a fabulous rush. So just send it!

2. Chocolates - Everybody loves chocolates! My Kuya everytime he travels loads up on this in his hotel room (whoops! was that a secret Kuya?). My Dad would always get my Mom chocolates for Valentine's. He'd usually insist on going to the mall on Valentine's day and then disappears for a while and then comes back with a whole bagful of chocolates for my Mom. And after 47 years of marriage I'm sure he'd do the same this year.

3. Something Red - Well, I dunno. I'm back to having red as my favorite color. Even had my closet re-painted in bloody red. I just noticed that red is always in from Christmas to Valentine's Day. Something red to decorate her room would be nice - and the catchy color would surely remind her of you.

4. A Love Letter - A few weeks ago my Mom found a boxful of their old love letters and one Sunday morning my Dad read it to me and my friends. We were all so kilig! Well my friends were kilig, I was kinda fidgeting (hey parents ko yun noh!). I had to snatch the letter from my Dad coz he didn't want to read further. I was giggling while reading it. Where has the art of love letter writing gone? The last time I got a non-electronic love letter was back in college - before beeping, sending SMS, internet connection and emailing because so easy!

5. An Alternative Gift - Well sometimes the best way to "send your love" is to find out what your crush really likes. One of the best Valentine's gifts I ever received was a plastic full of little fishies - I had an aquarium-full of Oscars back then and I was so gaga over it. Instead of flowers, my ever practical boyfriend at that time gave me fish food. And that gave him super plus points.

If you're too shy or too diyahe to give it in person then just send a Valentine's gift to your crush. And then, of course, ask her out after!