Love, that inexplicable phenomenon, has held most of its victims captive. They appear so spell-bound that neighbours question if they be under the influence of any divine operation?

People who have encountered it on the periphery, treat issues or cases concerning it with less regard.

Yet, those who at any point in history had fallen victim of its manipulation, either by some supernatural means or by shear fate, will confess, that it is a situation of life that transcends the ordinary.

The scourge of love knows no age boundary, it afflicts the young as well as the old. However, age plays a vital role in the response of each group to the stimulus of love.

To the young at heart, love is deafening and maddening. It intoxicates beyond comprehension, while to some, it tortures and reserves a little of commonsense in them to others, it uses and leaves them completely ravaged.

When under the influence of love, it is most times difficult, extremely difficult to heed to the voice of reason. Even when doom looms in sight, a stronger spirit tells its captive that it is avertable.

To the mature at heart, love can be managed, the victims release their bodies with caution to the rhythm of their tormented spirits. They try as much as possible to control feelings and not let their feelings control them, such are those that come out unhurt while the former get totally ravaged.

The issue of undergoing blood tests before marriages are contracted, is being drummed and trumpeted within and without.: Ordinarily, it is an idea and a development that ought be welcome without reservation because it serves to safe guide one’s future while also guaranteeing such a fulfilling married life, devoid of avertable illness that would eventually cause sorrow all through the life-time of its victims.

Rather than embracing this awesome idea, young ones are instead faulting it by the day, to the detriment of their family joy, what a pity!

We are talking about the couples’ joy while their relationship lasts and I think it is such a crucial issue that must not be treated with levity.

Often times, youths of our time had complained that parents are meddling too much into their personal life. They tend to prove a point that they are of age and so should be left alone to take decisions concerning their welfare as well as their well being.

Guaranteed that the Nigerian constitution provides that at age 18, a child becomes an adult and could be held responsible for his or her actions, yet, at 18, we also know that such a child that had suddenly developed into adulthood by virtue of his/her age is still very, very naïve as far as life lessons are concerned.

Therefore, posterity will not be in a hurry to forgive any parent who fails to guide such ones aright.

The message of tests before marriage contracts are signed must be preached to both the willing and the unwilling minds.

Have we ever considered the trauma of containing sickle cell anaemia, how about the scourage of HIV/AIDS? Perhaps, not enough sermon had been sounded on these burning issues that are capable of keeping us perpetually traumatised.

Our young ones going into marriage relationship must be made to understand that their eventual joy and happiness while they live their life, means a lot to their parents and other relatives who may eventually depend on them for survival.

An unhealthy family does not save money let alone taking care of people who look up to them for one assistance or the other. Apart from not extending to others, they end up most likely constituting a financial problem to their parents and concerned relatives who may not like to fold their arms and watch them suffer such health problem perpetually.

But this situation can be averted, by first ascertaining the genotype as well as the HIV status of would-be spouses. The worst if ever, is that both parties part ways should the result reveal danger. Painful though it may be at the beginning but, such emotional feelings will definitely be suppressed with time. It is better discovered early enough and such relationship aborted when no serious commitments have been made, than to discover it later in the relationship when retrieval becomes very difficult.

We can’t afford to stake the lives of our loved and young ones for momentary joy, it is not worth it. Insist on blood tests before marriage and it shall forever by well with your soul.

Don’t compromise!

Sylvia ThankGod-Amadi