Happy Valentine's Day – V-Day contest results

Happy Valentine's Day, darlings. Just a week ago, we asked you what's love, and then we collected some wonderful replies:

K. wrote:
What is love? Not a dozen long-stem roses or a gag-inducing sing-song Hallmark card, in my opinion. No, it’s the little acts of kindness and consideration – the stuff of day-to-day life that can be all too easy to take for granted. It’s the times my husband has gotten out of our nice warm bed to get me a glass of water, that he makes the world’s best guacamole, that he listens to me vent, that not a day goes by that he doesn’t make me laugh, and all the other small things he does that make my life so much richer and sweeter.

Valentine’s Day is, in my view, a day when things that may be wonderful on any other day – chocolates, roses, candlelit dinners – become tired clichés. There’s nothing less romantic than an unoriginal gesture made out of a sense of obligation rather than genuine and spontaneous feeling. So what is love? It’s showing enough appreciation, kindness, generosity and compassion to our loved ones throughout the year that Valentine’s Day, with its gag-inducing sing-song Hallmark cards and cookie cutter “romantic” gestures, becomes utterly unnecessary and laughable.

JB said:
What is love to me? Love is unconditional, understanding what your partner is going through in times of happiness and hardship, respect, communication and appreciation. Love can come in many forms but the one kind of love that is celebrated this month is for the romantic partner in your life (or the one you hope to have in your life). The love of my life is my best friend, and we have been through rough times and amazing times...and still love each other. The way we will celebrate Valentine's day will be a bit more special than the normal, every day life:  a romantic dinner, some home-made martinis and some quality time spent together.

mk sent us a poem:
When late at night thou lockest up the door,
              thou lock’st up gloomy clouds
               and weeds in the garden
                 and thorns in the shrub of wild roses
                   and the north wind in the poplar leaves
                  and the yelling of black birds
               and anxiety
         and illusion.
At that time thou open’st wide mysterious gardens of thy soul,
        and allow me to wander in the galaxy of thy moles.
Thou becom’st my spring and my duration,
             my wine and my peace.
At that time I sail down the meanders of thy tenderness,
                I drink thee up like the last drop of hope,
          and I am afraid of nothing.
Not even the arriving morning.

Vasanthi commented:
Everybody feels love, but for me it works in a very diffrent way. I have fallen in love with the man whom I love with full of my heart. I am from Malaysia and he is from India working in US. It has been two years since we fell in love, but it's a GOD game that I have not met him in my life yet. We met each other through social networking, and we both love each other so deeply. For us, there is no days without crying. He is struggling for job in US and because of some status problem, couldn't come out from there. He is trying to get his H1 status through job but that is not that easy it seems. And for me doing Phd studies and as well with some financial problem, I can't make it as well. We are dying to see each other. I cant see him crying like that in front of a webcam everyday, and he really breaks into pieces when he saw me crying. True loves never dies and true love never ends. He told me that no matter what happens, I will get you in my hand. I'm waiting and counting my days as well...God please help me, and I just want to be with the man I love the most in my life.

We say:
You're all so sweet. Thank you for all your lovely comments. We promised the winner a sweet prize, so since it was hard for us to choose, we went by most points. JB, you win. Contact anja@thevancouverobserver for your prize. :-) And like Whitney Houston once said, We wish you all joy and happiness, but above all this, we wish you love.

xx,
VO team

 Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons