Todays is a day for celebrating having good friends

Today is St. Valentine day. In Austria it is “The day of the beloved” and in Mexico “The day of love and friendship”. In Austria people are now buying only one flower bouquet, however in Mexico, people are buying chocolates for the office colleagues, carnations for their close friends and perfume for the partner.

When I was in high school, we bought carnations for our friends on this day. It was nice to get many and in different colours. The white ones meant friendship; if you got a pink carnation it meant someone liked you, but if you got a red one, oh man, there was someone crazy about you!

Last week, I was on my way out to the supermarket when I saw a man lying in front of the building’s door (in my building there are nine apartments). I helped him to stand and only then I realised it was my neighbour, the retired University professor from upstairs. While I accompanied him to his flat, he told me he had a blood pressure problem and felt. He also added that the day before he turned 80 years old and he was proud to tell me that he was born in the apartment he lives. 80 years in the same flat!

After ensuring that he was well, I went on, but just before leaving I noticed a slight smell of alcohol in his breath, I also saw six bottles of beer in his grocery bag.

Sometimes, when I am a little depressed, I am afraid of living on my own for the rest of my life. This pessimistic visualization of my future vanishes away as soon as I think of all the good friends I have.

Earlier today I talked on the phone with Magdalena and Isabella; after work, I went with Hannes for dinner (I just joined him since I ate earlier); when I got home, I had a fantastic phone conversation with Maria; Verena just called me minutes ago, and the first thing I will do when I finishing writing this, it will be to call my brother and then my sister and mom.

Today, the day of love and friendship, reminded me how much I love my friends, and if I in 50 years I fell in front of the house, I will surely call a good friend and tell him or her “Shit man, I am getting old and I am dying slowly!”, I will say it in a sarcastic way so that we laugh together and then we will meet for a glass of prosecco.