It’s
that time of the year, when love is in the air, as goes the cliché. Today all
will be talking of love, love and more love. For the last five years or so, I
have been telling love stories in my Blog and thought I would do the same this
year, but then I wanted to avoid clichés this year, so decided against it. No
love stories this year, but let’s talk of love, since love is in the…. We will
skip that, I guess.
So
what is love?
With
decades behind me, I make my little effort to understand this unavoidable four
letter emotion.
Is
it the way he looks at her? Or is it in a lovers touch? Or is it her presence?
Or is it just her being around? Or is it in his sweet words? Or is it the small
things he does for his lover?
Is
it easy to find love or does it take a life time to find it?
Where
art thou, my love?
Looked
for thee everywhere,
But
could find thee not
Where
art thou, my love?
Looked
for thee in the East
Where
the sun rose,
Looked
for thee in the West
Where
the sun set,
But
could find thee not.
Where
art thou, my love?
Looked
for thee in a moonlit night
Looked
for thee in the Madhuvana
Looked
for thee under the kadamba tree
But could find thee not
Where
art thou, my love?
Looked
for thee at the seashore
Looked
for thee in the waves of the sea,
Sought
you in the aroma of the breeze
Sought
you in the silence of the night.
But
could find thee not
Where
art thou, my love?
Oh
questions and questions galore! How does one explain love, the single most
driving force for mankind and as the cynic would say, for the gift industry!
But no commerce today, please! I am no Archies and I am no manufacturer of silk
hearts of varying sizes to be stuck on gifts and to be discarded tomorrow
morning.
I
am the heart that beats for her and the heart which aches for her.
I
am the heart which throbs with passion and which displays emotion.
I
am the heart which often goes fickle and silly, all for her
I
am the heart which loses its rationality when she looks at me
I
am the heart which melts at her smile and hardens at her indifference
I
am the heart which pines in her absence and throws tantrums when she is back
I
am the heart which displays ego but submits at the drop of her eyelid
So
do these emotions matter today? Are these worth anything in the world of
ostentatious displays of love in social media? Do these matter in a
I-love-you-I-aint-sure-you-are-the-one times of love? Or is it that love is for
keeps for some while the same is old fashioned for some?
I
have been on earth for quite some time now (and I hope god is not reading
this!), but when it comes to define love, I guess I have miles to go…..but can
safely say, felt it! It’s a joy, it’s a pain, its laughs and its tears. If it
ain’t all this, then I guess it’s not love….at least not for me.
I
guess only a lover can understand what love is when he says…
Kiss
the cup, my love
Let
this be my elixir
For
lovers need no nectar of heavens;
The
touch of your rosy lips
is all I seek
After
this, even if the cup
hath an adders juice
I
would gulp it down with glee
And
embrace the messenger of Yama.
Here's wishing you ....
(The
italicized pieces are from my forthcoming novel)
Love
stories from the previous Valentine Days –