My Valentine?
February 14th
Valentine's Day
This day brings either Joy or Anxiety to many. Why? Why is this day so important in our year? Was there some great event that instituted this as a holiday? What causes us to lay such importance on this day?
The way we celebrate Valentine's Day carries a mystique all it's own. On this day there are expectations of love and romance. In every relationship or lack thereof, this day holds meaning. Either you feel all "gooey" about your love or you "mourn" one lost for some reason.
But, think on this......
"The history of Valentine’s Day–and the story of its patron saint–is shrouded in mystery. We do know that February has long been celebrated as a month of romance, and that St. Valentine’s Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. But who was Saint Valentine, and how did he become associated with this ancient rite?
Valentine's Day is spotted with a multitude of reasons and what we currently celebrate is but a mere shadow of its orgins. Celebrated at the ides of February, or February 15, Lupercalia was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.
It was not until much later, however, that the day became definitively associated with love. During the Middle Ages, it was commonly believed in France and England that February 14 was the beginning of birds’ mating season, which added to the idea that the middle of Valentine’s Day should be a day for romance."
It was not until the 1700's that people began the current custom of valentines on this day. Whatever your reason for celebrating or choosing not to we all need to think on this.
Someone said to me this year with regards to Valentine's Day, "It's not a real holiday. It most cerianly isn't romantic. It's origins are centered around death and wasn't considered a romantic holiday until the late 1300's when a poem was written in commemoration to a king's wedding. On February 14th" Of course this person is quite anti-Valentine's Day, now I am not sure if it is just that he is not a very affectionate person or if there is some deeper reasoning for refusing to go the extra mile on that day for the love interest in his life.
Another comment made, "I'm kind of tired of all the Valentine's Day BS. You shouldn't need a special day to dictate when you should share your sentiment and "Love" for another". This is quite profound because it is quite true. You should share that sentiment with your "love" interest regularly or you might find that your "love" interest feels unappreciated or unloved and now that interest is missing from your life.
No matter how you feel about this day, it is a chance to reflect on your love, commitment or lack there of for that special person in your life. Sometimes, to that person it is possibly the day that keeps them going all year. If you are that kind that rarely shares feelings, you might do well to remember it is not at all about YOUR feelings but for the feelings of the others in your life.
Ladies, this does not mean that you sould expect flowers and candy and get angry if they do not materialize. Gentlemen, maybe you would like for Valentine's Day to be allowed to eat Bacon and chill in your "Man Cave" all day. The point is you should never miss the opportunity to share with those you care for those moments of sentiment. For if you ignore a person long enough the only sentiment you might find, is how it feels to be lonely.
Maybe it is not a "Real" Holiday, but are any of them? Really? Any special day is only special because of what we choose for it to be. You can choose to not go with the flow and treat your significant other like it is Valentine's Day all year with small tokens or random acts of love when the mood strikes, and you should. You can also choose to not go with the flow and do nothing, ever....
But caution says, "you probably shouldn't"......
Once again a reminder......"Lest you find your lack of appreciation eliminates the need to Celebrate any day with your "Loved" one, because they have become, by your own hand, "lost" to you".
DJ Cooper
** next up ** The woman's perspective of the "Man Cave"
*History of Valentines from the "History channel"
