I was watching one of my mother’s many Bengali daily rom-com, and came across a scene where a rich girl was happily boasting to her father how she has bought numerous exclusive attires for her wedding, and even buying matching jewelry for each dress. Her rich fiancée too was feeding into her delusions of a wealthy and happy life with diamond necklaces.
This made me think, is love always expressed through expensive and grandiose stuffs? And by love I mean every form of love – romantic, platonic, for the self, parental etc. Growing up in a well-to-do family, gifting each other something expensive has been the norm; be it the chocolates of the US or Sarees of each and every kind in India. But these gifts never ensured “love”, and it came as a hard hitting truth once I became an adolescent.
Despite all the showcase of being rich, all I’ve witnessed is families and relationships falling apart. Apparently, even the richest of presents aren’t enough to maintain the idea of “love”. If I’m ever asked, how to express love, its very simple, yet it takes some effort. That’s the toughest part to do by humans these days, to make efforts.
For love to be shown, it doesn’t require pricey gifts, but an effort everyday. To ask, how are you? To make, a birthday card by yourself. To bring, some flowers. To lend, a shoulder to cry on. And ultimately, to be there in every ups and downs of life. That’s what love is to me.
Love is all in simplicity, simple gestures and simple efforts. It is as simple and beautiful as the clouds in the blue sky, as the flowing river, as the shining sun, as running across a flower field. As wise people have always said, “There’s a great beauty in simplicity”. So, let’s celebrate the simplicity of love, and show it through our little efforts everyday.