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Emanuela Karastoyanova

Do we have to celebrate St. Valentine? Many of the traditionalists are protesting against it claiming that this is a foreign holyday which has nothing to do with the Bulgarian, Balkan or Slavic traditions. Furthermore – it has been created with an entirely commercial purpose and on top of this makes us be untruthful (not to mention false and hypocrite) and it is forcing us to declare “obvious” according to us things (as love is) when we really don’t feel like it… Others who are hungry for some romance and happy moments are getting lost in the lovers’ day finding in it a reason for celebration or sharing of love. I will take the side of the second group. The side of those who are not afraid to accumulate inside of them many moments for joy, happiness and love, even if they are from foreign origin. And when it comes to the speculative ideas that the lovers’ day has been invented and advertised with only commercial purposes I would like to say that these are the “sins” of the commerce and the world economy of the 21^st century. This is even far from all the consequences which the globalization brings along. Really it is not the mixing of the cultures (like it is in the case of the lovers’ day) lies in the foundations of our problems. Even if this holyday is erased from the calendar of mankind the world would probably not be changed for better and it would probably not become more real… May be even on the contrary.

However let us at least for a day to leave mankind and its problems and dive with no regrets into the world of love. In the world of the good, happy love. I am at the Athens airport right now. At the place where the times and distances are about to blend into one into a point of departure for “anywhere”. At this place which is so suitable for thinking and making all kinds of  balances I think that love is the driving power of the world. It is life. At the airport (closer to the air and the sky) the things look so simple. I wonder what is happening to us down on the earth that not once we look for love in the strangest places. Confused from our many ideas and images of it we often forget for its primary meaning – to build. It seems it was too easy for us to get used to see the destructive power in it. It is pity because the true love comes to create not to destroy.

Let us remind ourselves on the St. Valentine holyday exactly for the good, happy, shared and fulfilling love. For the love which gives wings to our dreams. The one which comes in our lives like a fairy – bringing light and secretly spreads golden dust. The one which was born to give birth and create new worlds. The love is a shining moment, a part of the universe, and the ability to fall in love is the most wonderful quality of men – I am thinking. There is something cosmic in the power of love. It is worth being born on this world even only because of the love. Because of one shining star. And while these thoughts were running around my head I suddenly realized that somebody is calling me persistently. A fever of anxiety came over me, I was convinced that somebody from the airport wishes to meet me. However who was it? I came here alone…I rushed ahead of myself getting lost in the colorful carousel of travelers and shops.

And there it was. Here at the Athens airport, among the corridors of the time and space, written on a card were waiting for me the words – “made out of stars”. They, THE WORDS had called me. There is nothing accidental I said to myself. Not even the thoughts of a man. I was surprised that the words were from a Serbian saying… Beautifully printed on a made in America card placed here for sale at the Athens airport. I was happy for it. Happy for the saying which has managed to travel through space and cultural differences of the world. Started from Serbia, it got all the way to America and traveled the way back to the Balkans in order to call me at the Athens airport – proud, brave and changed. Staring. And I decided to believe it…that every one of us is a star. Made out of LOVE. Out of golden cosmic dust. And each one of us needs love.

That is why to all the readers of grreporter and to the whole world we wish a good, happy and beautiful love!