A Little Cheesiness on Valentine's Day

Some twenty something years ago, when I was still in college, a beautiful poem on love and persistence in loving spread among my college group.  It was a poem by E. Calasanz, one of the Philosophy professors in the Ateneo.  Twenty years ago. . . well, that was obviously pre-internet days and the poem went around in real paper, handwritten. 

Here's something for all of us. . . true and hopeful romantics (hopeless just doesn't have a room in my mental space today) . . . who just can't and won't give up on love.  HVD! 

Walang ginagawa ang mga bituin
Kundi pagmasdan ang mga mangingibig.

Isang gabi, kapag ikaw ay umiibig,
Tumingala ka sa mga bituin.
Malasin mo ang kanilang ningning,
Ligaya mo’y sinasalamin.

Mabait ang mga bituin.
Sa mga mangingibig
Isa lamang ang hiling:
Umibig, umibig, umibig
Nang may magawa ang mga bituin.

Walang ginagawa ang mga bituin
Kundi pagmasdan ang mga mangingibig.

Isang gabi, kung masawi ka sa pag-ibig
Tumingala kang muli sa mga bituin;
Pati liwanag, nagiging dilim
At tamis ng puso’y dahan-dahang umaasim.

Malupit ang mga bituin.
Sa mga bigo sa pag-ibig
Labis ang hinihiling:
Umibig, umibig, umibig pa rin

Nang may magawa ang mga bituin.

(Eduardo Calasanz)

I sit with myself with deep joy knowing that the less than 20 girl of those years had grown in many ways over the past 20+ years.  I am proud to say I had loved and lost and many times cried and bled my heart.  Yet, I look at all those years of loving now, not with regret, but with deep appreciation for the person that I have become.  At the end of the day, all those years of loving had taught me  (and continue to teach me) not only how to love others in a better way but also to love my Self in a genuine and deep way.