IT’S the eve of Valentine’s Day! Entrepreneurs are all smiles; this is what is called a winning streak. Sales must be brisk starting Saturday the 11th (which is the Feast of Our Lady of Lourdes and a special day for my spouse Lyndah) till all the way Wednesday the 15th. This may even extend till the following weekend; that is, if there is still some money left in the wallet! The month of February is unofficially known as the Love Month where every person remembers his or her loved ones.

Flowers like roses of all varieties, long or short stem, concerts here and there both from local celebrities to foreigners, chocolates, cozy candle-lit dinners, text messages and mms, etc, etc., are for the picking at the right price. At times the choices are too many department stores go on rampant Red Sale! It is the season of the heart! Fortunate are those who have loved ones and are also cared for. However, how about those who are left alone in nursing homes like the home for the aged, the orphans, the mentally challenged or those in wards of hospitals or simply a person with nobody to love? They may just want to slumber and let go of the day. After all, nobody remembers them. There are those who have loved ones yet sometime or another the chain broke due to some incident leading to a frozen relationship. As years pass by, either one will have to give in and patch up, assuming either parties are alive.

During my years with the Society of Jesus, I was exposed to different areas to know and experience the meaning of poverty. One of them was in National Orthopedic Hospital in Banawe, Quezon City. I was assigned in the gratis ward section. It was a roomful of patients strapped on the chin with a sand bag pulling down their neck to straighten a broken spine; a kid who couldn’t move due to paralysis from the waist down,; an old man dying of tuberculosis of the bones. It so happened that I was there during the month of February. You know what, nobody ever visited that ward. In fact I was told that this ward is known as the “Lonely Hearts Club.” Despite the fact that no relatives ever thought of paying a visit, what was moving was the thoughtfulness of the nurses and doctors. Like one big family, they serenaded the room with candles and roses. Yes, tears were in the eyes of the patients. The old man asked me to do him a favor. He dictated a letter addressed to his eldest son who brought and abandoned him. In his last line, he asked his son a question that till this day lingered, “Where has love gone?” A few days after, the old man passed away. His letter sealed in an envelope was placed with his other personal effects. I was not aware if his son ever went to claim his remains.

Abandonment of a loved one is perhaps the most painful a person can do; the more of a son to his father. Is it also unspeakable for a mother to abort the fetus in her womb? Or leave a newborn in a milk box by the door of a convent? Or for a child not to forgive and not be in speaking terms with his parents? Or a husband to abandon his family and be with a newfound love? Or forgetting the meaning of “I do” vows?

Has love gone simply because of avoiding the burden of caring and the responsibilities?  Like after all the partying, just escape to avoid doing the dishes or cleaning up?

To say the words “I love you” or 1-4-3 cannot just be easily said than done. A leader of the country to say he loves the country has to be all out in showing dedication and sincerity at all costs. St. Ignatius de Loyola always adheres to be a man for others.  The father of our president, the late Benigno Aquino II, faced the threat, sacrificed his life leading to changes in our country. Heroes of today are no less than the fathers and mothers who sacrifice themselves by working under whatever conditions overseas.

In the world of entrepreneurs, we also have our own heroes. They are those who took the risk of developing an enterprise. They took it upon themselves to create and generate employment. Their accomplishments may have made the world a little bit better. To top it all, their heroism is they took the route of franchising. To simply accept the money of a would-be franchisee and not be responsible is not their cup of tea. These franchisors do care toward the growth and welfare of their franchisees. At times and as Filipinos you have franchisors that act like big brothers. It is simply not profit. There are also in their heart the initials CSR or corporate social responsibility. Most of the true-blooded CSR-loving entrepreneurs refuse to be publicized or have a photo-op. They would rather remain behind the scenes, or if it can’t be avoided have their staff be in the forefront.

The more one cares, the more blessings one reaps, isn’t it?

We live in a not-so-perfect world. The country is considered as Third World. However, what we can all be proud of is the Filipino is one loving and caring race. Listen and read the stories about what our seamen displayed from the stricken cruise liner La Concordia.

Let us all capture and share genuine love not just during this event but 24/7/365.