Valentine’s Day, ahhh, the day created to boost our February economy! Well I know it wasn’t “created” by the retail industry, but they sure latched on to it like they made it up… wow!
I looked up the history of Valentines Day, and I got a lot of different results. I read a lot about “legends” of this day. I read about Roman times and things like that. I do believe what I read here though,”Feb. 14th was officially designated as Valentine’s day by Pope Gelasius , at the end of the fifth century, but it’s roots date to an earlier Roman Empire era.”
I found some great ‘lore’ that I really am fascinated by, so here it is in a nut shell, I think my way of telling it sounds good!
There are at least 3 or 4 Saints still recognized today in the Catholic Church, by the names of Valentine, and Valentinus, they were all martyred. There was an emperor, who in the 3rd century thought that all good soldiers were the ones who were single, without wives and families the better. So the Emperor outlawed marriage for young men. So Valentine( a Saint), knew this was unjust, so he vowed to defy Claudius(the Emperor)and began to perform marriages to these young men, soldiers or not. He kept all the marriages secret from the Emporer. He did get found out though, later and was put to death. I do like this bit of lore the best because it sounds so lovey and sweet!
There are countless other stories, mostly dealing with the Christian church orCatholic Church as well. A lot of them mentioning feasts, and ways to “Christianize” celebrations during the month of February. In these times the people who celebrated things were all pagans, and they had a Holiday called “Lupercalia”. Houses were routinely cleansed at this time due to the fact that Spring was just around the corner. They sprinkled the houses with salt and wheat, and all swept their homes of the “old” to be able to start anew on Spring. February 15th was the day that all this supposedly took place, so here is yet another way to look at where our Valentine’s Day came from!
Now it’s just as crazy, and weird as Christmas and Easter with all the cheap plastic crap you can buy for your loved one, all this showing up in stores around the beginning of January. You can’t even celebrate the fact that the New Year has started, when your already bombarded with the next Holiday to buy for. I guess that’s the American Way…. Well not all American’s subscribe to this way of living. I definitely celebrate Valentine’s Day, but I tend to do it the same EVERYDAY! I tell all my friends and loved ones just how much they mean to me everyday. I didn’t do it like that for so long, and then I changed and now it just comes naturally to do that. I always show my love and thankfullness of a friend whenever the time is appropriate. I don’t need a day on the calendar to say “this is the day to give hugs and love to your favorite people or lover) I think everyday we all should hug more, love more, hold hands, dance and play together much more often than we do. I remember being a little kid and one of my favorite times at school was Valentine’s Day because we all had to make Valentine’s Day boxes and decorate them and hand them out to the class. I made one for everybody, no matter what. I just liked giving little cards to people to make their day a little brighter, to make them smile. As I got older, the Valentine’s Day things at school became just another “popularity contest” and I didn’t like the day AS much. Although, every Valentine’s Day, my grandma would put together a little something for me and I would always get it after I got home from school, or if it was a weekend, she would give it to me at breakfast. Even if it was just some really pretty, smell-good kind of lotion and soaps with a 5 dollar bill tucked in there all wrapped up in red tissue paper and a balloon tied to it all, I still loved it so much! It was the thought, always was the thought that counted and I am still like this today! I probably make and send more cards(all handmade) and letters to my friends and family than anyone I know! It is a great thing to open up your mailbox and peer inside and to your delight, you have a thought that someone put on paper, to you, from their heart, and sent it to you to read. It’s a wonderful thing to read these words… I love getting letters and cards and well wishes whenever I can!
So to me Valentine’s Day makes me think of love, naturally and how much love I have in my life. I am grateful to everyone that gives me their love and support everyday. I am also happy to be the one that loves so many other’s as well. I want to keep on loving, to keep putting this positive vibe out there for other’s to pick up on. It can really make a difference to have a shining light in your daily life, and I want to be that, just as I have been fortunate enough to have in my own life.
I will share something with you that made me feel loved and happy today. I walk to work everyday, and yes it’s cold and often kinda rainy and I am usually half-asleep as it’s about 6:30 or so in the morning, but to my delight I looked up high to where to billboards are and someone had either purchased this one or rented the space for their own, and on the one side the billboard said in GIANT letters XOXOXO! and the other side says “FORGIVE”. I was so happy and my heart skipped a beat! I bet the ones (or one) that did this loves knowing what they did for many today! I thank you whoever you are. Thanks for making a billboard not so crappy. I think we all would like to see more of this kind of thing… A positive piece of literature or an affirmation rising high above to greet you in the morning! I think I will try to make this happen? Maybe, just maybe…
So it is the evening now and Valentine’s Day is almost over. There is the BIG dinner date or movie or whatever, but remember everyday is another day that you can love and do something special for the ones you already love. Always remember that, it helps get you through tough or not so ‘magical’ times in your life.
Happy Lovey-Dovey Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Do something special for you, unless you want to give your love to another. Hug yourself, love yourself, you matter most, you know!!
shining, loving, divine grace….
Melissa Magic