~ Valentine's Day ~
"Saint Valentine's Day (commonly shortened to Valentine's Day) is an annual holiday held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions." The Celebration of Love... that has a nice ring to it. I think it's the word 'celebration' that sounds the best. Love is certainly a good word. I can't imagine a better word for what the word expresses. Like the word 'god', it is the only word to really express what one feels.
"The holiday is named after one or more early Christian martyrs named Valentine and was established by Pope Gelasius I in AD 496."
In AD 496. The old Pope Gelasius must have had a bit of the romantic in him. It's been 1514 years since the holiday was established which goes to show how powerful 'love' and 'celebration' is for we hu'mans... we won't let it die.
"It is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as 'valentines')."
We really appreciate days that serve a double-whammy - confirming our love and spending money to underline our confirmation. Like Christmas, it's a money maker for some and a romance maker for others. Hallmark Cards became the giant it is in the card world because of those two special days alone. The chocolate and other confectionery makers get a big boost in their sales on this day, no doubt. And let's not dismiss the floral business... those dozen roses given out to one's loved one has a tremendous impact on both business and romantic interest.
"The holiday first became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished."
The High Middle Ages were the 11th, 12th, and 13th centuries (1000–1300) in European history, according to some sources. But our old writer, Chaucer was born 1343 and passed on 57 years later on 25 October 1400. But romantic love belongs not to any one person or group of people... it's universal. Chaucer wrote about it and did so well that it's still connected to him.
"Modern Valentine's Day symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten valentines have largely given way to mass-produced greeting cards."
I was unaware the heart-shaped outline was modern. I wonder how old this modern symbol actually is. It's burned into my memory as far back as I can recall seeing the symbol. It's wholly memorable. The doves and winged Cupid... not as powerful a symbol for love as that heart-shaped picture that is certainly embellished with Cupids arrow piercing the heart but not a necessity in order for the mind to connect that heart to love.
Handwritten Valentine cards must have been quite a picture. I wasn't around during those ages that had no choice but hand write their Valentine to their sweethearts. I wonder if that heart-shaped symbol was included in those handwritten versions?
We seldom even hand write anything anymore except for a grocery list or "return to sender" on mis-sent mail. Even checks are becoming more and more rare. Quite possible in 5 years or so nobody will take checks anymore which will reduce one's handwriting expertise even further.
"The sending of Valentines was a fashion in nineteenth-century Great Britain, and, in 1847, Esther Howland developed a successful business in her Worcester, Massachusetts home with hand-made Valentine cards based on British models."
Not so fashionable today what with the internet and the mobility of digital communications. The handwritten takes another blow along with our language which has been digitally reduced to emoticons and shortcut texting that is revolutionizing language as we know it. Nobody in 1847 could possibly foresee the times we are living in today. Even 20 years ago, 1990, what is happening today with technological inventions would have been as futuristic as Jules Verne was in his day with his writings (handwritten, btw).
"The popularity of Valentine cards in 19th century America, where many Valentine cards are now general greeting cards rather than declarations of love, was a harbinger of the future commercialization of holidays in the United States. It's considered one of the Hallmark holidays."
That line, 'many Valentine cards are now general greeting cards rather than declarations of love,' is kinda disturbing. Give a Valentine card without any hint of love sounds very empty and meaningless... but good for Hallmark profits, of course.
A 'declaration of love' may not be possible to the next generation coming up given the fact that their is little to no impetus to declare such a thing as love. From my scant listening to the current musical hits of today, the venerable top 10, I easily draw the conclusion that sex is much more important than love any more. Sex dominates music, fashion, celebrity status and nearly all commercial enterprise aimed at 14 year olds to 40 year olds and beyond in many cases. Love? Fergettaboutit... it getting the nut off that matters. Even the Pharma Corp and the huge sales of penile enhancement drugs to control when a man wants an erection and for how long, and what once was innocent - the openly available gels girls/women can apply to their genitals to enhance their sexual enjoyment. In all this madness for sexual gratification I regret that 'confirmation of love' that once initiated sexual desire but instead sex being the end-all and any mention of love for another as being something one approaches very, very carefully as to not become disillusioned or hurt from any attachments... a job security being more preferred than love security.
"The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year, behind Christmas. The association estimates that, in the US, men spend on average twice as much money as women."
That's a lot of cards! One billion sent each year, worldwide. Not too bad since we're a worldly population of some 6.8 billion people inhabit our fair planet and growing each minute, literally. n And of course we men would be, not only spending twice as much money, but more like investing twice as much in our relationships. Men as a whole live shorter lives than men who have mates. In addition, biologically men have a physical need to pass on their seed and that requires a bearer of that seed, the woman who must be courted and shown appreciation in order to better have a chance at spreading his seed into the future gene pool of hu'manity.
Happy Valentine's Day to all. Make Love not War... and Make Love not Sex, at least today... a day we have set aside as a Celebration of Love. For good reason - we love it.
[note: all quotations above are from Wikipedia's article "Valentine's Day".]
_________
Love the One You’re With
by Stephen Stills
If you’re down and confused, and you don’t remember who you’re talkin’ to. Concentration slip away, ‘cause your baby is so far away.
Well there’s a rose in the fisted glove and the eagle flies with the dove, and if you can’t be with the one you love, honey, love the one you’re with, love the one you’re with, love the one you’re with, love the one you’re with.
Don’t be angry, don’t be sad, and don’t sit cryin’ over good times you’ve had. There’s a girl right next to you, and she’s just waitin’ for something to do.
And there’s a rose in the fisted glove and the eagle flies with the dove, and if you can’t be with the one you love, honey, love the one you’re with, love the one you’re with, love the one you’re with, love the one you’re with.
Turn your heartache right into joy, she’s a girl, and you’re a boy. Well get it together, make it real nice,
You ain’t gonna need anymore advice.
And there’s a rose in the fisted glove and the eagle flies with the dove, and if you can’t be with the one you love, honey, love the one you’re with, love the one you’re with, love the one you’re with, love the one you’re with.
_________
Love the One You’re With
by Stephen Stills
If you’re down and confused, and you don’t remember who you’re talkin’ to. Concentration slip away, ‘cause your baby is so far away.
Well there’s a rose in the fisted glove and the eagle flies with the dove, and if you can’t be with the one you love, honey, love the one you’re with, love the one you’re with, love the one you’re with, love the one you’re with.
Don’t be angry, don’t be sad, and don’t sit cryin’ over good times you’ve had. There’s a girl right next to you, and she’s just waitin’ for something to do.
And there’s a rose in the fisted glove and the eagle flies with the dove, and if you can’t be with the one you love, honey, love the one you’re with, love the one you’re with, love the one you’re with, love the one you’re with.
Turn your heartache right into joy, she’s a girl, and you’re a boy. Well get it together, make it real nice,
You ain’t gonna need anymore advice.
And there’s a rose in the fisted glove and the eagle flies with the dove, and if you can’t be with the one you love, honey, love the one you’re with, love the one you’re with, love the one you’re with, love the one you’re with.
_________
cecil
14 February 2010
(I´m not confused! 
