Love is more than pricey meals and flowers

A special hello to all you romantics this week. That's if you are preparing for Valentine's Day.

That special day where your love is defined by how much you are willing to spend on a set meal or pay for a single rose.

If that is your definition of love and devotion, good luck.

But for all those hard-hearted cynics who roll their eyes, there are real stories of love, and the price that love can take.

If you read them online, they are usually accompanied by clickbait headlines. "This Man Did This And What He Did Next Will Shake Your Very Soul", or something similar.

Our lead stories this week would make amazing clickbait. A man who cut out most of his stomach to lose 42kg to be fit enough to donate a kidney to his wife. Now THAT is love.

Then there is the anguish of a love that could not be until 50 years after the couple first met. And there is the husband who has to go the extra mile to be his wife's eyes.

All stories are about putting other people's happiness first. Of sacrifice. It's something we don't have to experience, certainly not on that large a scale. But maybe we should be willing to sacrifice just a little.

It can feel like the world is becoming more hot-headed, and Singapore is no exception.

In Ground Zero this week, Maureen Koh asks heartlanders if Singaporeans are becoming too furious too fast.

There's road rage at what seems the slightest provocation, fights on the MRT of all places, and of course, cyber rage.

The amount of energy expended shouting in forums and social media (interesting use of the term) is astounding. And to what end? Why are we becoming so quick to lash out, verbally or physically?

You can point to stress, but it's not much of an excuse. We have to realise that personal space stretches only so far. That for every cruel remark, there's someone it hurts.

And crucially, the mentality of "an eye for an eye" doesn't help anyone.

Choose your battles.

If you're going to be angry, be angry about something that counts. Either that or try showing a little love and compassion. Give a little more.

Let the idiots be idiots. There's no need to join them.