Valentine’s Day has
come, was celebrated and is gone. Some reports stated that the day was
forgotten amid the carnival hype; others said they dared not forget despite the
festivities.
I am not a lovey-dovey
person and completely forgot the significance of February 14th. However
on that day love is communicated in many a varied way: flowers, chocolates,
jewellery, food in the form of breakfast, lunch or dinner; song; movie; poetry;
public apology for past wrongs and anything that will generally leave the recipient
in a happier mood. Women are the main recipients, although there are a number
of men who were treated to goodies.
There are also a number
of non verbal ways in which love and
appreciation are communicated. However this blog may not be the appropriate
forum to list these.
The day has a religious
background, originating in the Catholic Church – the correct name being St Valentine’s Day. The feast day was
February 14th and he is the patron of Love, young people and happy
marriages.
While alive he was a priest in Rome. However the story differs at
this point as some accounts say he refused to renounce Christianity and was
killed; while others say he was jailed for defiance during the reign of Claudius
III. “Whoever he was, Valentine really existed
because archaeologists have unearthed a Roman catacomb and an ancient church
dedicated to Saint Valentine. In 496 AD Pope Gelasius marked February 14th
as a celebration in honour of his martyrdom.” (www.catholic.org)
Whatever the case, Valentine’s
Day is here to stay. Some view the day as a way to bleed men dry of money; when
commercial entities make huge profits off the backs of the poor suckers.
Others, the eternal romantics, see it as a day set aside to overtly and deliberately express the love and affection they hold for their
partners.
Now, this blog
is not sufficient for me to communicate MY theory
on love or the legitimacy of its use as a word of endearment. However, I must
say some folks go all. And who doesn’t like to be treated nicely?
“There is only one
happiness in life—to love and be loved.” George Sands
Sources
and further readings
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