February 14^th is fast approaching.  That’s right, boys and girls – Valentine’s Day.  Even though we know it today as a holiday created to celebrate love, originally it never had anything to do with hearts, chocolate, or red roses.  It was an observance named after Saint Valentine, a Roman priest who was killed in 269 A.D.  Originally, the day was noted more for martyrdom and death in the early Christian church rather than life and love[1].  In fact, there were no romantic connotations at all with the day until the 14^th century, when Geoffrey Chaucer’s poetry began establishing the connection.

Sentimental verses began appearing in the late 1700’s, and the number of “valentines” sent each year skyrocketed in the 1800’s with the reduction of postal rates[2].  Who’d have thought cheap stamps would bring out the romantic side of men in the 19^th century?

Mass produced valentines began appearing in the United States in about 1847, and in the years that followed (all the way to today), advertisers and spouses have been escalating the “love connection” (and the day’s expectations) ever since.

How do I say I love thee?

Is it with a dinner out?  Is it with a heart-shaped box of chocolates?  How about flowers or a teddy bear?  Well, you better think of something, Romeo, or Juliet is closing the balcony window and going back to bed.

But should it be that way?

Honestly, if your relationship is hinged on getting a piece of filet wrapped in bacon or an overpriced box of mystery chocolates on a random winter Wednesday, then maybe you need to take a deeper look at what’s keeping your relationship together.

Not to wax sentimental or profound, but the spirit of Valentine’s Day should be somewhere in every relationship, no matter what the season or despite the offering of material things.  We show true love and affection to one another by our actions.

A kind word.

A helping hand.

A listening ear or a warm hug.

True companions fit together like pieces of a puzzle.  Two individuals may be total opposites, but together, they form a stronger bond because they have found one another.  As a team, they are better because of each other, not in spite of it.

Sounds like a valentine to me.

In fact, that sounds like something worth celebrating, no matter what day it is.

 

 

[1] Wikipedia contributors, “Valentine’s Day,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Valentine%27s_Day&oldid=823756702 (accessed February 4, 2018).

[2] Wikipedia contributors, “Valentine’s Day,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Valentine%27s_Day&oldid=823756702 (accessed February 4, 2018).