love; the gift of angels

Lifeline ( www.lifelinemagz.blogpot.com. ’lifeline magz’ on facebook. ’Lifeline Unec’ on twitter) Love: the gift of Angels ‘This is totally unimaginable! No, it can’t be real; it took her so long to make the decision of dating ND. This is the third time in their six month relationship that he scolded her and attempted to beat her……’ At 26, Amaka had been in about 12 relationships which were actually a ‘tasting the waters’ variant. ND wooed her for a year. She said no because time was no longer on her side.He was the normal tall, dark, handsome, good pay cheque kind of that guy who believes that, “get money and everything follows.” Amaka was light skinned, petite, beautiful, made ‘six figures’ every month and is what one will like to call ‘very comfortable.’ She is a regular church-girl, sings in the choir, attend Sunday services and goes for special conventions organized by big “pastors.” Their first two months were ‘magical.’ He took her to all the fool spots in town, spoilt her with designer perfumes and clothes, cards and so much more. She was beginning to believe that she has found her man until the honeymoon went over. It began with those little things; not picking her calls and giving silly excuses that he was in a meeting and was often too exhausted to call back. She then resorted to text messaging which he rarely replied or did in monosyllables. Most weekends were spent in his place doing the dishes and cleaning up. Sometimes he had come home with lipstick stains on his shirt and proffered the vague excuse that a colleague accidentally bumped into him unaware of the fact that his body boomed of female perfume. The height was when she took a sick absent from work only to look after his sick younger sister as he said he was ‘tied up with work.’ Guys were always flocking around her; colleagues at work, friends at church and some interested young men from her hometown but she always turned them down being a faithful love-struck girlfriend and what was her reward? A lying, cheating boyfriend; but Amaka continued because she believed that ‘somehow, things will turn around’ and he will get to see how much she loves him. She continued having this ‘delusion’ despite a tangible crop of her friends who kept on telling her that they actually see him with young ladies eating in expensive restaurants. She replies; ‘That must be his colleague from the office that he told me about’ I guess she believed and practices 1 Corinthians 13:4- love is kind, love is not jealous… then where did she really go wrong? A year later, she was left with a broken heart, a child to take care of and no shoulder to lean on. She kept praying to God because she knew she had ‘given all.’ Six months later, he came back apologizing and she accepted him; of course in tears. Valentine, his life was love. A priest in 270 A.D, during the great persecution, he helped Christians escape the persecution and administered marriage , which was then outlawed by the Roman empire and other sacraments, under Claudius II. ‘Marriage,’ he said, ‘do not make good soldiers!’ True? It follows suit that we all should pick a lesson from these two individuals- to love selflessly! Unlike a friend of mine who lied to his parents about money to buy unauthorized textbooks that he needs ‘before February 1st,’ when in actual facts, he wants to buy gifts for his girlfriend or a story I heard of a girl who absented herself for 24 hours only to resurface the next day with a ‘Bold 5!’ The story continues to even working class ladies who use their six months’ salary savings to get their guy a Val’s gift. Yes, all these later three loved but not selflessly. To do this calls for wisdom, not spending so much on one day for just a particular person and hoping to gain rewards or benefits. February 14th is a day that reminds us that love is the greatest of its contemporaries, faith and hope. It is a day to look around and see someone who is in need of a ‘touch of God’ and reach out to that person. As you do this, His peace surpassing all human understanding will dwell with you. Happy valentine. Adigwe Chika