Let's start with this part first:
This is all thanks to Wikipedia by the way, so if you are not a fan, just walk away!
Valentine's Day or Saint Valentine's Day is a holiday celebrated on February 14 by many people throughout the world. In the West, it is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other by sending Valentine's cards, presenting flowers, or offering confectionery. The day was originally a pagan festival that was renamed after two Early Christian martyrs named Valentine. The day became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.
Let's define "Courtly love" shall we? Courtly love was a medieval European conception of nobly and chivalrously expressing love and admiration.[1] Generally, courtly love was secret and between members of the nobility.[2] It was also generally not practiced between husband and wife.
I love this last part...it just cracks me up.
If this is true then look how we in the "west" have taken it totally out of context!!!
That's Ok - Valentine's Day to me is little paper cards that were written the night before and given out in class the next day. Everyone got one and you looked on the back to see who signed it either "from" or "your friend" or "love"! and if the "LOVE" was followed by the name of the person you really thought was so cute, your were happy as a clam for the next day or so. 1st and 2nd grade love doesn't really last that long after all!
As I got older Valentine's Day was a day I dreaded. After grade school it took on a whole new meaning...this is when people started having "boy friends" or "girl friends" and asked each other out to the dance or for pizza.
I was one of those kids in middle school who didn't get asked.
Mostly because I looked like this:
Not quite the "Hot Mamma" that I am now!
There was one person who always accepted my Valentine's day wishes like I was the only love of her life!
Mom!
She used to give cards to each of us on Valentine's Day and sometimes included those little candy hearts that had those little sayings on them.
Man I loved those!
Whenever I felt ugly and insecure my Mom was always there to tell me differently.
One year I remember I wanted to make my Mom something special for Valentine's Day. Something beyond the regular Hallmark greeting card.
So...in a flash of inspiration I created this masterpiece:
How gorgeous is that?
My Mom added the little paper laced heart in the center years later!
Ok, OK...I know it's kind of ugly, BUT my Mom thought enough of it that she saved it and displayed it year after year! That thing must be 33 - 35 years old and it still looks EXACTLY like it did when I made it. It's just a little faded with time.
When I talked to my Dad recently he told me how he still puts this up every Valentine's Day. So I asked him to take a picture of it.
Look in the background, you can see little hearts in the plant! How can you NOT love a guy who puts little hearts in plants?
Thank you Dad! Love ya!
How the memories flood back when I look at it.
I know a lot of people get kind of sad and lonely on Valentine's Day because it's supposed to be for "lovers", but for me it's just about loving someone. Pure..simple...love.
And yes, it can be simple.
Or it can be complicated...
But people show love differently and I hope we all have someone to love. Even if it's a little bit.
So...Greeting cards and heart shaped boxes filled with chocolate or candy aside...I wish you ALL a very Happy Valentine's Day this year and I just wanted to let you know there is someone out there who sends you a little love. Even if it's just enough to get you through the next minute, hour or day.
Peace all!
Love to you all! (even just the little bit that you may need today)
7 comments:
Love to you and M and your mom and dad, Shazza. Happy Valentine's Day!
I love your sculpture. Totally cool and so un-Hallmarky.
And woohoo! What a babe! I have a thing for long hair and glasses; the sexy librarian look, so I'd have pestered you to distraction at school.
Yeah, ditto, happy v-day to you and M! And I love the sculpture too.
I wouldn't have pestered you because we looked too much alike. Same glasses and everything.
Dad just told me he proudly displayed your sculpture! I miss those cute little valentine cards. I love the glasses. I can't find my 80's librarian photo. I was ready to scan it! I do have my catholic school uniform photos!
Hooray, thanks for the memories, Shazza. When dad mentioned the sculpture, I immediately pictured it in my mind. And the photo confirms it. Mom always came through when I felt unwanted, too.
Hooray, thanks for the memories, Shazza. When dad mentioned the sculpture, I immediately pictured it in my mind. And the photo confirms it. Mom always came through when I felt unwanted, too.
Personally, I think Valentines Day is treacherous, but your creation is absolutely beautiful.
My dad used to give us really great valentine's cards every year and some sort of sweet treat. He was great at celebrating those occasions.
I so remember those cut-out valentines that you would painstakingly write everyone's name on - even had to give them to the boys you didn't like!
That's not such a bad photo. Really. I've seen worse. I was underdeveloped, had glasses - and for years from age 11, I had two broken front teeth - until they capped them when I was 14. I was smokin!
Kat
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