The world always
loves a lover

Today is the day of lovers. Why this day is called Valentine's Day has been lost in the many versions. There's no authentic one.

But never mind the story. The thing is the world always loves a lover. And no story can be more beautiful than a story of love, especially tragedies which William Shakespeare exploited to the hilt.

He had many but Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet and Ophelia are among the best.

In 1936, Great Britain's King Edward VIII gave up the throne in favor of the woman he loved, a divorcee Mrs. Wallis Warfield Simpson.

Edward was a popular prince. It is said, he changed the men's fashion the way men dressed in the 20th century in the same way that Spain's King Alfonso XIII changed the men's hair cut. In November 1936 Edward created a Constitutional crisis when he decided to marry the woman he loved. Between the throne and the woman he loved he chose the latter.

His farewell statement has become a classic.

"I have felt it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibilities as King as I would wish to do without the help and support of the woman I love."

Then they left for self exile in France.

* * *

Do you think he was hated for that decision? No, the world loved him, a lover who gave up a throne for love. Mankind always loves a lover. The world will never forget what King Edward did for love.

When Imee Marcos fell in love and eloped with a married sportsman, Tommy Manotoc, President Marcos was mad. When Manotoc was never heard of, people suspected he was killed, considering the strong man's ruthlessness.

But he did not, afraid the world would hate him for depriving his daughter of the man she loved at that time.

Marcos himself had a whirlwind romance with Imelda years before.

* * *

All mankind loves a lover. That's why movie personalities want to be known as lovers so that the world will love them and become popular.

Kris Aquino has plenty of them, from Philip Salvador to James Yap now. Many other local movie stars and international ones too.

Bridgette Bardot, Madonna, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe… they're all the same.

"All thoughts, all passions, all delights,/ Whatever stirs this mortal frame,/ All are but ministers of love,/ And feed his sacred flame." That's from poet Samuel Coleridge.

* * *

One of the best movies I have ever seen about love and has been declared a classic is "Casablanca," a five-star movie.

It starred Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman that depicted the pre-World War II intrigue with its setting in Morocco, Africa.

What made it also popular is its theme song which is still popularly sung today, "As Time Goes By." It's still love as time goes by.

Listen to its beautiful lyrics about love.

"You must remember this, a kiss is just a kiss, a sigh is just a sigh./ The fundamental things apply as time goes by,/ And when two lovers woo, they still say I love, you on that you can rely,/ No matter what the future brings as time goes by.

"Moonlight and love songs never out of date,/ Hearts full of passion, jealousy and hate,/ Woman meets man and man must have his date, that one can deny.

"It's still the same old story, to fight for love and glory, a case of do or die,/ The world will always welcome lovers as time goes by."

* * *

If Ferdinand Marcos was a fast worker, courting Imelda and in a few days married her, a famous British journalist and radio commentator Edwin C. Hill wrote of his love story his feat.

On his first visit in New York, he took a sight-seeing train. He saw sitting across him a charming young lady who swept him off his feet.

On arriving at Columbus Circle, he transferred seats and introduced himself and struck a conversation.

They found an astonishing congeniality between them and pursued it intensely.

Hill told her, he liked her and loved her. The girl answered she liked him and loved him too.

When they reached near City Hall they both got off the train and proceeded to City Hall where they got married.

The moral of the story: Valentine's Day or not, journalists and radio broadcasters are among the fast workers.

Happy Valentine to you all.

I have no Valentine date. I will be in Iloilo tonight for something important at the University of San Agustin.*

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