As Valentines day beckons, hearts feel full. Not because of the flowers in shop windows or the red outfits that will soon colour the streets, but because of women. Yes, women.
The woman reading this. The mother. The girlfriend. The wife. The sister. The daughter. The corporate professional in heels is walking briskly into a meeting. The mama mboga is arranging her tomatoes at dawn.
This is not just a letter. It is a confession of gratitude on behalf of many who may not always find the right words.
Valentines day is often reduced to a single date marked by gifts and grand gestures. Yet the truth is deeper. The women in our lives are not meant to be celebrated for a day.
They are the everyday Valentine’s. Present in traffic. Present in disagreement yet choosing love. Present in the quiet of homes when the world has drained everyone.
No single date can carry what women mean to families and society. They are woven into ordinary days. Into plans. Into peace.
And this must be said clearly. Women carry more than people admit.
They carry families on their backs and still look composed. They wake up early to prepare children for school, then step into boardrooms ready to defend budgets and strategies.
They answer work emails while checking on parents upcountry. They remember birthdays.
They plan gatherings. They smooth over conflicts. They hold emotions together like delicate glass.
Society expects them to be strong yet gentle. Ambitious yet humble. Beautiful yet effortless. Firm yet never too firm. And somehow, they keep trying.
Many times, women pour love into others without knowing whether it will be returned in equal measure. They encourage their men when frustration sets in.
They clap when victories come. They sit quietly beside them when losses arrive. They sacrifice sleep, comfort, and sometimes even personal dreams so that others can rise.
To mothers, you are pillars. To women who love sincerely, you are brave.
To corporate women breaking ceilings, you are rewriting history. To every woman quietly building a life, you are powerful.
As Valentines day beckons, the message goes beyond gifts. It is about recognition. It is about gratitude.
It is about reminding every woman that she is not loved because she performs well. She is loved because she exists.
Women are everyday Valentines. And the world is softer, stronger, and more beautiful because they are in it.
