In the 276th round of the WOMEN ON HIVE contest, hosted by the community and judged by the esteemed judge 
Valentine's Day is a day of love, but it's also a day of friendship!… So I ask you: Who should you love first? Who is your best friend?
Valentine's Day is often thought of as a day of love. But who is Valentine's Day for?… For your boyfriend? For your crush? For your husband? For your best friend? For your teacher?…
Generally, everyone interprets Valentine's Day as a day of love between two partners. But according to the theme proposed in this contest:
Who should I love first?…..
I often witness the love lives of young people today. They are more inclined towards affection accompanied by sexual desire, often leading to regret and sadness that lasts a long time to heal.
Willingly tempted by love and affection, a woman gives everything to a partner who is not yet sure who she will be, and conversely, a man willingly gives his entire being—body, soul, and possessions—to someone who is not yet sure who he will be.
I don't mean to pry into other people's lives; it's my deep concern for a generation of highly intelligent and talented young women who are often trapped in romantic relationships with their boyfriends.
Therefore, let's interpret this Valentine's Day as a day of pure and sincere love without any strings attached. And let's love and appreciate ourselves before we give love and affection to others. Because, the first person we should love is ourselves, followed by our parents who have struggled to educate and raise us.
The next answer to the question, "Who should I love first?"...
I think this comes back to our wisdom. If we're not married yet and still dating, it's better to love ourselves and our parents first. But if we're married, then we should love our wife/husband without favoritism or hurting our parents.
So who is my best friend?....
A best friend is someone who guides us on the path of goodness. And this is very rare. Not unheard of, but very rare. We always hope to have friends who share our mindset and ideals. In reality, our circle of friends narrows as we age: meaning we only have a few friends who possess special talents that can be utilized in certain situations. The same applies to our standing in the eyes of others.
Therefore, for me, the best friend is ourselves. Then there are those who truly understand our situation without demanding too much.
So, how beautiful and wise it is to love ourselves with compassion before loving others. Before being a friend to others, be your own best friend.
Thank you for reading my writing. Greetings of love and happy fasting to my Muslim friends who are fasting. May Allah bless us all, and may peace be upon us all.
Image source: https://unsplash.com/id/foto/seseorang-yang-duduk-di-depan-cermin-Qc7cFYj6hGU