Valentine’s Day

Herleen Emily, Nadi

What is the origin of Valentine’s Day customs and symbols?

Does God care that we celebrate it? Though hearts and roses are red, retailers and business owners see the green of money when it comes to celebrating the festival!

We usually forget the origins of why Valentine’s is celebrated! We usually think that Valentine’s is all about romance and feeling the love.

Valentines is originally celebrated due to the “feast of lupercalia” which most of us must have read it in “Julius Caesar” (year 12 Novel).

The men of Rome used to offer goat and meat to the superstitious lords. Where they would drink and whip the women of the society. Just to cover up a little, in the novel Julius Caesar, we have read that women were whipped due to the fact that they were unable to bear fruit or any disability they had possessed.

However, the origins have claimed that this feast was performed by men to show how imperial they were towards women in those days.

And in order to show equality in family and society, a philosopher and bishop named Valentine (Valentuis) had a vision to spread the word of love to the families of the soilders who were not allowed to marry and those men who usually had an idea of superiority towards women.

However, he was being opposed by the monarch ruler of those ancient days and was killed on the 14th of February. Many people were influenced by this motive to spread love and had grievances towards the king.

Later, the monarch was overthrown. But the words and wisdom of a great man who wanted to spread the word of love was never forgotten.

And that’s why today, there are public holidays in some states of Europe to honour the great philosopher.

However, today the world has taken a different path to celebrate the festival. But in doing so, are we honouring the man, through whom we are celebrating the day.

It is not about having a guy or a girl as your date for a day.

It’s about understanding what love is not for a guy or a girl, but towards your family, mother and sister whom we all should love and care the most with respect.

It’s not about performing the festival, it is about getting the moral value which is trying to convey “love” to the world.

The only motive we should work towards is eradicating domestic violence and other social issues in our community through love.

Make the move and help spread the gospel of love to your mother, sister, father, family, neighbours and the community. And, see how it multiplies! Love can change our society!

Valentine’s Day

Amenatave Yaconisau, Delainavesi

What originated as a Christian religious feast in Rome is now a commercial holiday with romantic love. Valentine’s Day is observed throughout the world. Enjoy!

‘Ice Man’ is back

Tomasi Boginiso, Nasinu

It is good to see the “Ice” man (Isake Katonibau) back in the squad. When he is back everyone’s happy.

Katonibau’s presence means opponents will be going to the drawing board.

We also welcome Sakeo Railoa, another gentle giant, into the squad.

This should be another mammoth task for Fiji’s opponents. They are still trying to figure out how to overcome Eroni Sau!

Go Fiji, go!

Road upgrade

Timoci Gaunavinaka, Nausori

We are all very thankful to Government for the road upgrades and the dozens of new bus shelters being built around the country.

As citizens, we also have a part to play. Let us not write silly things on these new shelters. Please advise our young people not to do this.

As drivers, let us drive carefully and not drive our vehicles into these bus shelters.

I remember one bus shelter at Dilkusha, near Nausori, which has been battered several times by unruly drivers.

Other pending issues:

ν The Tamavua Public Hospital has no bus shelter. Patients have to brave the rain or hot sun.

ν River bank erosion is quickly eating away more than 50 metres of the Kings Road just past the Mobil Services station at Manoca (on the way to Korovou, Tailevu).

In a few months or in a year, a chunk of this newly-tar sealed road will fall into the Rewa River if nothing is done now.

We are all aware of the traffic problems faced by people caused by a landslide or a chunk of the Kings Road eroding near Bau Tikina.

This blockage diverted all traffic to go almost an extra 10 kilometres around Raralevu via Bau Tikina road. But if this happens at Lakena, the problem will be worse because more people will be affected from Verata Wailevu, Naqeledamu, Buiduna, Kasavu, Deladamanu, Ganivatu, Naduruloulou Government stations and all villages and settlements along the Baulevu Road and the Kings Road between Nausori and Korovou.

We are not engineers but we believe that building a retaining wall now will be much cheaper than trying to repair.

Government cannot have its eyes everywhere.  We citizens can assist it by highlighting practical and logical solutions.

Lenten period

Wise Muavono, Lautoka

Lent is the time we are supposed to forgo things. Television, alcohol, Facebook, red meat, dessert. But why?  What’s the point? For some it’s personal.

Fasting exercises are rarely used in the human will.

Giving up a self-indulgent activity can help build character and possibly bring us closer to God. No matter your religion, I believe that Lent is a season for all of us. We can reflect, re-choose and re-shape ourselves and our future.

To mix metaphors: Lent is the road. Jesus is the destination.

Feedback:  jyotip@fijisun.com.fj