ICM - Leeds Design Agency

To those lucky enough to be in Love . . .

Enjoy, be free of the other 364 days of missed opportunities, of chances that you should have taken. Take time to think about all the times you have told someone that you Love them, concentrate and focus, breathe and say it again – because on this day, the focus of your words will tend to listen, just that little better . . . with any luck you can make up for the opportunities missed, for the half-hearted words mumbled as you leave the house. At the very least you have (with the prompt of a special day) turned and said how you feel and you should be proud that you have . . .

There are a million different ways to Love someone – and a billon different ways to show it . . . with all this choice it is human nature to become indecisive. Too many choices? They choose the simple option, and do nothing . . . this is EXACTLY the wrong thing to do – this is the day, the ONE day of the year that the resistance is least, the worry that it may seem insincere is lowest. The time when a man or a woman can shout from a rooftop if he or she so wishes and the world will watch. Some will hang around to see if the silly sod will slip on a tile, some will even complain about the noise . . . but I can guarantee that on this special day, there will be a whole host of onlookers . . . waiting and smiling, all watching for the moment when the object his or her affection is struck by the message of Love. They watch in the hope that they will reciprocate that Love and hope that they can return it twofold, threefold or more . . .

We love to see Love, we love to be transported, warmed, give and receive it . . . Tokens and trinkets? Yes . . . why not??!!?? Commercialism?? Bring it on!!!! Anything to enhance that day. The simplest and smallest of messages or the largest and brashest bravado fueled mush . . . they have the same ancestor, the same core gene of Love. It is a day for courage – a day for pride, shyness, fear and other such social diseases that afflict humans to be set aside, a respite from the weight. Take your bare heart to someone and and with trembling hands, tell them that you Love them, there will never be a better chance (at least for another 365 days).

For those who have this Love already – remember what it is like NOT to be . . . give thanks that your Love crosses a day when the rest of the world can feel what you feel every day. Celebrate with the object of your affection and with humble words, tell them again . . . Tell them that you have found them and that with solemn promise say that you do not wish to lose them. Make a promise, not bound by Religion or Law, but by words gilded with the hope that you can keep that same promise, live with it and remember it from year to year.

Anyone can be the Romeo for their Juliet, the day is meant for it – grasp the opportunity . . .

For those looking for Love . . .

As I mentioned above – fear is the Nemesis of Love, it makes us pause when action is needed. Makes us doubt when a little leap of faith is called for. To you I can only give a small amount of advice . . . conquer your fear . . . drive it back just for Valentine’s and Dive in!

The world loves a romantic and they adore those who try (and sometimes fail . . .) the embarrassment can be less and fortune favors the brave.

The fear of embarrassment, the shame of failure, these are the thorns round the castle before the fairytale ending. If you have been waiting for the right moment then it is NOW – there will be NO better time (although if you wait until AFTER Valentine’s day – you are far braver than you think). Take that chance and ask . . . make a show of it and your chances are MUCH higher, open your heart up to the world and with just the hope that the answer will be a positive one . . . SAY what you want to . . . keep it simple and make sure it is from the heart . . . it shines through.

If it is the checkout girl in your local store – buy a chocolate bar . . . then go around again and buy another one, and another one and another one until she asks you what you are doing . . . tell her that you are building up the confidence to ask her to dinner that night – and that the chocolate will be comfort food for the evening without her . . .

Yeah – I know . . . cheese-tastic . . . who cares? Its VALENTINES!!!!!!!! Take the fear and choke down clods of it – let it stick in your throat . . . scoop up big handfuls of embarrassment and rub it all over your face . . . because sometimes, just sometimes Fate will smile upon you . . .

Why? . . . because the cold regret of NOT asking – missing this once in a year thinning of the fear . . . the being human and wanting to know if that someone is THE someone for you . . . is devastating . . . Take your chance . . . you never know, it may be Love, and to quote a line from Natalie Cole – The greatest thing you’ll ever learn, is to love and be loved in return . . .

For those who claim to Hate Valentine’s . . .

Well what can I say? I pity you and your shallow attempts to hide your fear. Using excuses like – too commercialized and should be every day of the year – is pathetic . . . it is a travesty and a crime that you are even allowed to utter words against such a day . . .

So it is with a heavy heart that I find you guilty . . . of a crime that can only have one punishment . . .

I hereby sentence you True Love . . . May you find it soon and have it consume you whole, enveloping you and making you the very Champion of all that is Valentine’s Day . . you will spend the rest of your life apologizing to the world (AND to the object of your affection) for ever uttering the Anti-Valentine’s mantra . . .

Right . . . . I feel I have ranted enough . . . Happy Valentine’s Day . . .

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