I wrote this note on Valentines Day way back when in an essay style ala the popular school assignment ‘what blah blah blah means to me.’ Its funny to think about how different I was then, 15 or so years ago. I was single at the time, and I wrote this after researching the holiday online and trying to debunk the legitimacy of it all together. So I can’t be accused of being to smug and in love as I am now when writing this. My writing style has evolved a bit since then, but I fought my temptations to rewrite it and just let it fly in all its sophmoric glory. Its the sentiment that counts, I think that’s still spot on. In fact last night at dinner I told Arion this story of St. Valentine, the guy who cared about love in other people’s lives. The story really does resonate with me, and every Valentine’s Day since I try to promote love in everyone’s lives in tiny chocolate ways! And so many of us do don’t we? We get cards and gifts for our Mom’s, our sisters, our friends, grand children, children and their teachers. Its just another day to show love with sweet treats and to that I say a delicious emphatic yes. In my case that will mean spending 2 days making homemade treats to avoid allergens, but I enjoy cooking and sharing love via chocolate so…. (while I’m a bit on the bah humbug side of the Christmas-o-meter), to Valentines Day I say BRING THE LOVE! And by love I mean chocolate ;0)
What Valentine’s Day Means to Me
by Barbara Byrge
For many of us Valentines Day represents a day of expected pleasantries, red and pink flowers, chocolates, and tiny candy hearts that say ‘be mine’. Some call it the worst of the ‘Hallmark holidays’ sensationalized by corporate America in a frenzy to sell greeting cards, teddy bears, lingerie and for the lucky, maybe a Mercedes or a trip to Spain. We take great pride in knowing the historical basis and traditions of our holidays like Christmas, Chanukah, Easter, Independence day, and so many others, yet the story of Valentines day goes untold year after year. The reason for this is simple; the legend is about rebellion, unsanctioned love, and martyrdom. The story of the beheading of St. Valentine is not one you teach to 2nd grade kids. My teachers always left that out, but I somehow knew that making that construction paper mail box was really, really important and if I didn’t I’d be left out of something really special. I realize now I was left out of something special, the true story behind the day.
Most believe that the holiday as we know it is a celebration of the life of service of St. Valentine. There are 3 St. Valentines commonly revered throughout history, but the one that’s most interesting lived in 270 AD in Rome. He lived under the reign of evil King Cladius II who involved his country in many bloody campaigns. Soon, he did not find many willing men to sign up for his army, so he outlawed marriage in hopes that single men would be more likely to enlist. Legend has it that St. Valentine believed in love so deeply that he continued to marry couples in secret. He was eventually caught and ordered to be executed. He spent a good spell in jail, during which time lovers whom he’d married would leave flowers, poems, and gifts outside his prison window to thank him, and to testify to their belief in love. The guard was so enchanted with St. Valentine’s love of love, he even let his own daughter keep company with him in his cell during his last days. He left her a note on the morning of his execution marked ‘love your valentine’ which is a metaphor often used, but little understood.
Even before St. Valentine was beheaded, the Romans celebrated the feast of Juno on February 14th each year. She was known as the queen of the gods and goddesses and also the goddess of women, marriage. Pagans observed that birds picked their mates around mid-February, and started their courting rituals around the same time. When people say ‘love is in the air’ they are talking about the magic of spring. This phenomenon of animal lust, pair bonding and general altruisim are best defined by what the rabbit ‘thumper’ in Bambi. When Bambi asks what’s wrong with the birds cooing and circling each other, thumper happily explains ‘they are twitter-pated.’ He couldn’t explain it in words, but the magic of spring infects even the most unsuspecting beasts! Perhaps that was Claudius’ reason for choosing such an important day to have St. Valentine killed. Perhaps he intended to send a message to the world that love was not going to be tolerated. Claudius’ murder of St. Valentine did send a message about love to the world. A message that has carried on for thousands of years: Love will live forever in our bleeding hearts, and always serve to remind us that money, power and status are not the most important things in life. Some people are willing to sacrifice their life for love. Not just for love in their own lives, but to see the cause of love promoted to the highest degree possible. That’s what Valentines Day means to me!
Reference:
Here is a link from History.com that tells this story.