Главная страница «Первого сентября»Главная страница журнала «Английский язык»Содержание №3/2008

" To Have or to Have Not"

We can hardly find any other holiday when we can show our love and devotion to the people we appreciate, can send valentines to them, make some lovely presents, such as chocolates, toys or flowers. We can just be happy because there are so many people in love around us. The 14th of February is the only international day dedicated to lovers. Almost all over the world millions of boys and girls, men and women have their hearts filled with love on this special day.

There is an opinion that St. Valentines Day is a Catholic holiday and that it is not a good idea for the Christians to celebrate it. If it is so or not, every man decides by himself following his religious beliefs. As for me, I think, that the most part of our society is positive to this day. As we have supporters and opponents of the holiday we should have a compromise: those who are for it can celebrate St. Valentines Day. Those who are not can easily ignore the day. This part must respect the point of view of all the opponents, but of course they can enjoy it too. After all we can always find some adversaries of any festive day, authorized by the Church.

Maybe there is one more reason why some people don’t understand the origin of St. Valentines Day. I think that only a person who has once fallen in love knows how pleasant and touching it is to receive a card or any other sign of affection. This is a great feeling when you are in love, or you find out that the man you are in love, loves you too. Your thoughts get confused, you can’t think calmly about her or him, you want to spend all your time speaking with this man or just looking at him as he is the subject of your adoration. When your love comes the first time, you can be easily put out of countenance or do not know what to do in some situations. But it is so natural, because even adults with their own experience can act like fools when they are in love.

When you analyze this condition, you can understand that only because of it people can have a wish to live, only because of it they need this holiday. A feeling of love is like a holiday when you have a strong desire to love and to live even if your life is very challenging at the moment. All of us are very much alike in our spiritual values, so we urgently need one more occasion to share love with each other. I can’t see any reason why Russian people should deprive themselves of such a great holiday as St. Valentines’ Day.

February the 14th is really my favorite day. Each year I wait for it like for the New Year and I usually start my preparations long before. Till this year St. Valentines’ Day was only a day of fun, when I congratulated my friends and enjoyed the celebration. Now it is very different. There is a young man in my school and all my friends are trying to convince me that I am the apple of his eye. I don’t know whether it is so or not, but I can say how great it is when he is looking at me. My heart sinks and I feel a kind of warmth inside of my body. I feel flattered and amused as well. It would be really nice to get a valentine from him on the 14th of February. At least I am looking forward to have one. This is my main wish at the moment except that I have always wanted everyone to be healthy and happy. Only now I started to realize what a big role love plays in my life. Love gives me an impulse to live a bright life, full of joy and happiness. I never feel upset, because those who are in love see things from a different side.

St. Valentines Day is dedicated to all these exciting things, so I am sure that we must celebrate it. It is a very touching holiday and it can give us plenty of deep emotions. Only love can show us how beautiful the world we live in is and how we should value every moment of our lives.

Dasha Popova