Come Away With Me

Norah Jones, as you will agree, is a beautiful and inspired musician. However, I feel she's unfairly overlooked whenever a book on love is being written. I mean, you're bound to be moved from the core when your eardrums are caressed this way.

Admittedly, the first attempt at writing this post resulted in my branding the 21st century a 'sham' and modern mannerisms thoroughly shallow.

Yes. I'm feeling rather annoyed by the craze that is Valentine's Day. Don't worry though, for I won't spoil the occasion for anyone. So go on; send her that text message with kisses at the end; call the restaurant to confirm the reservation for dinner; double-check that the present is neatly-wrapped and safely tucked somewhere only God and you know of.

Now that you've ticked all the boxes, give yourself a pat on the back and look forward to an evening of unadulterated and infinitely-satisfying love.

Once the whole thing is over, perhaps you'd be remotely interested in my very own take on this rather important issue; one which I had, until fairly recently, a single-minded attitude towards and an unwavering belief in.

Love, or what we think of as 'love', isn't merely a chemical or neuropsychological response triggered in Male by the sight of Curvy, Well-spoken Brunette Female. It’s addiction, obsession, near-worship and an exponential desire (need - let’s be frank!) to spend every second of your day with the person whom, over time, becomes a beacon to your soul.

What a load of dreamy-eyed nonsense, right?

Right.

Love is all those emo-inspired stuff rolled into one big lump that's shoved down your throat everyday. This sadomasochistic dimension to love appeals to quite a lot of people, though, and it’s no surprise to be honest. If it’s the price I’d have to pay to wake up every morning next to Curvy, Well-spoken Brunette -none but her- sign me up and hold my lungs as deposit.

I write about this subject with no reservation whatsoever, because I feel it’s unrefined -unbecoming, even- if I did otherwise. Love, marriage (Relationships - if you want to be ‘modern’) are pivotal stages in anyone’s personal, familial and social development. It's a wildenress that we're bound to sleep-walk into at some point in our lives. Wilderness it really is. Beautiful, magical, unpredictable but thoroughly and endlessly life-changing.

What attracts me to her, though? Why her and no-one else?

Despite years of evolutionary education attributing it to the animal in me wanting to prey on fertile females, I'm unconvinced. Not good enough, I'm afraid. Whilst procreation is quite important to us all, I highly doubt it being the starting point of a relationship.

I won't even bother with the biological aspect: I wouldn't love a woman because she has particular anatomical features. I know many will laugh at this and think I'm lying, but I really am not.

In an attempt to explain why I'm attracted to Curvy, Well-spoken Brunette Female X but not Curvy, Well-spoken Brunette Female Y, scientists claimed that my radars (and yours, so stop sneering) are programmed so as to detect only those who are as attractive as we are (though if you see someone who looks better than you, don't give up!) That's why, sometimes, you notice that a couple look like eachother in quite a few ways. Tom Cruise and his utterly gorgeous wife are a case in point. Prince Charles and Diana Spencer aren't.

Whatever. This isn't anything profound or particularly interesting today. I know.

Though many have dismissed Valentine's Day as the brainchild of some marketing genius, I feel it's an opportunity for ordinary people to celebrate their partners and spouses. All year you're made to look at Jay-Z and David Beckham making all sorts of romantic gestures that cost hundreds of thousands of pounds. Today, however, a little card with a nice message inside will mean more to her than a diamond-encrusted ring because it's a token of your enduring love!

Well, maybe not a diamond-encrusted ring, but you get the picture.

To those celebrating today with someone, have a good time and I wish you a lifetime of love and happiness.

To those waiting to love or be loved, don't give up. I hope this post encouraged you to plough on and keep looking..