The Spot

Our student paper tells me that St. Valentine was martyred because of love. One legend reports that the Roman emperor of the time thought single soldiers were better soldiers, and so forbade young men from marrying. St. Valentine secretly married young couples anyway, and was killed when word got out.

Another legend says the Magesterium was not a fan of interracial or interfaith marriage. St. Valentine ignored the dicta, secretly married the couples anyway and was, yes, killed when word got out.

You've gotta admire a man who legitimated love in dangerous or disapproving times. That's why I prefer the second legend. I like to think that if St. Valentine was to appear today, he would've married at least a few gay couples by now.

This is my effort to say something intelligent about a holiday designed, as Stacy would put it, to "make us all schmoopy". Before I plunge into that schmoopiness, I'd like to encourage everyone to try a different take on Valentine's.

Lots of people are bitter today. The single, the forgetful and, sometimes, the long-distanced. But that's because those people suck. And Valentine's is seen as a romantic holiday.
My mother's family has a different take. They use Valentine's to tell everyone and anyone they love that they love them.
[This makes Valentine's a gold-mine for the kids, on par with Easter for cards and gifts. For the non-observant, that's somewhere slightly less than your birthday.]

I like this take. It doesn't exclude romantic love by any means, but it makes the day a little more inclusive. So call your parents! Write your friends a Valentine.

And send your significant other bunches of flowers. *bliss*
XOXOX,
Spot

0 comments

Graphics and design by Ann Stretton ©2001