In David Levithan's novel: Marly's Ghost, he questions the essence of Valentine Day by asking; "What’s Valentine’s Day about except the desperate search to find someone to spend Valentine’s Day with?"
He goes ahead and answers himself by noting that and I quote,"It just shows that love has become a marketing campaign, like everything else. You buy into it and lose everything."
This writer decided to take a walk around Nakuru town to get residents views on what really is the essence of the Valentines Day.
Grace Waithera, a single mother of two boys who sells vegetables in Freearea estate, said Valentines Day to her meant nothing as she treated the day like any other Sunday.
"It was just on my normal schedule, there's nothing big with the day. What was important to me was that my two boys are healthy and going on strong," she said.
Her sentiments were echoed by John Omondi, a driver with the Mololine Group based in town who said Valentines Day lost its meaning long ago and thus he finds no special accolades with it.
"Just like Christmas, Valentines Day has been losing its psyche. I don't have special considerations whatsoever," said Mr Omondi.
However, Erick Musembi, an education student at Kenyatta University, Nakuru town campus was of a different opinion.
Mr Musembi said Valentines Day still remains core to him. He said he values and couldn't wait for it.
"I have plans for the day. You see, this is the day I will be showing my love and appreciation to my girlfriend. I'm asking people to step up and just enjoy the day," he said, smiling.
The 23-year-old practicing teacher revealed that most of his agemates are not so much into the day since, he says love has been replaced with lust.
"Most youths are not serious when it comes to love matter," said Mr Musembi.
Consequently, Diana Achieng, a cyber attendant at Shoppers Paradise in the CBD agreed with Musembi saying she has to fit into the day's demands and act the part.
" Yes, we need to show and express love at all time, 365 days but still it is imperative to worldly celebrate it on Valentines Day just the way we do it for Christmas and the likes," she said.
Ms Achieng added that she is expecting gifts from her better half and family and her plans to reciprocate are on gear.