LIVING LIFE : Happy Hunting!

Excruciatingly painful, not in the real sense of the word, but what the fairer sex prefers to call ‘heart ache’ or perhaps even ‘heart break’ is on the verge of becoming the main feature of many people’s days, courtesy of this crazy time associated with the season of love. It will not be a bad month for everyone. Flower sellers will make much needed money especially in these times when the funny weather will cause a shortage of red roses, entertainment places will have no time for sentimentality, they will hook you in with all kinds of Valentine’s Day or Lover’s promotions just to get a good portion of your money and well the lonely hearts will have a hard time trying to cut the chase for the elusive Mr. or Mrs. Right or at worst, just a simple valentine date. So if you are the kind who places tones of importance on the February 14th, a few tips on how to keep the physiological trauma would suffice. For starters if you are not in love with someone who loves you back today, give up on the idea of being in love next Sunday, there is too much on your plate already, so worrying about meeting your soul mate in a week if you haven’t done so in a year should be off your agenda. Secondly, a lesson from the past would also suffice. In ancient Rome, a feast called Lupercalia, held on February 14th, was an ode to the God of fertility and a celebration of sensual pleasure, a time to meet and court a prospective mate. During the ceremony Pagan priests dressed in goatskins and sacrificed goats and a dog. They would then smear themselves with sacrificial blood prior to running around the hillside carrying a goatskin thong called a Februa (meaning means of purification). Women from around the city who wished for fertility and easy childbirth would place themselves around the hill so that the priests could hit them with the Februa, hence the month February. Priests would also place names of girls written down on papers in a box from which the young men would select a name and that woman would then be his partner for either the duration of the feast, for the year or even for life. This ritual gave young girls and boys in ancient Rome who lived separate lives a chance to interact. Am not saying you should look for a Februa anywhere anytime this February – those old tricks just do not work any more. First try to separate they idea that your valentine must be your lover, it could be a platonic friend, a relative, a workmate or even your mother. But surely nobody needs advice on how to take their mother out, it is easy, so for those who want to have a valentine who is not necessarily in the bag yet but could be in their cross hairs, a few tips could help. Call this person you have been secretly admiring for a while. Act jovial, friendly but not needy. Chances are they do not have a date as well especially if they are as classy and as selective as you are. Get chatting, and suggest a drink, joke about their not having a valentine and say you are not up for grabs either. If you are in the habit of wearing your heart on your sleeve, leave your shirt at home! Make everyone around you feel you are happy, strong hearted and in a good mood. If they appear to crave for an opportunity with you offer just an hour or two of the big day, early enough before your false big do, and short enough to appear interesting and leave her/him wondering where you have been all their lives. Don’t act sissy if you are a man, or easy if you are a woman. Take your time and get to learn them and while you are at it, you never know what might come up. If all this fails, pray and pray – miracles still happen. Otherwise, happy hunting! kelviod@yahoo.com