I Love Valentines Day
On February 14 around the year 278 A.D., Valentine, a holy priest in Rome in the days of Emperor Claudius II, was executed.
Under the rule of Claudius the Cruel, Rome was involved in many unpopular and bloody campaigns. The emperor had to maintain a strong army, but was having a difficult time getting soldiers to join his military leagues.
Claudius believed that Roman men were unwilling to join the army because of their strong attachment to their wives and families.
To get rid of the problem, Claudius banned all marriages and engagements in Rome. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret.
When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. Valentine was arrested and dragged before the Prefect of Rome, who condemned him to be beaten to death with clubs and to have his head cut off. The sentence was carried out on February 14, on or about the year 270.
Legend also has it that while in jail, St. Valentine left a farewell note for the jailer's daughter, who had become his friend, and signed it "From Your Valentine."
Now...why do I make all this "going back in time"? Simply because some people deny the importance of celebrating on Feb 14th the love one person feels for another one ...as if loving were something like yoghurt (with due date) or something you should underestimate just because YOUR own personal feelings had been betrayed, misunderstood, etc.
Don´t they ever consider the fact that at least for a while they themselves enjoyed that feeling of love...? Don´t they ever consider the fact their own children will, sooner or later, feel being in love...?
To me, it is like diminishing the importance of other people´s good relationships, like underestimating other people´s truly, sincere wishes to tell each other how much they still keep that lovely feeling...
Cards are the only thing, together with gifts, that I would not give importance to...but I always wear a sweet smile when I see people celebrating Valentine Day...not to mention the simple fact that there was once someone who dared to defy an unfair rule. That alone would make it worth while the celebrating.
I know about bad relationships, lies, cheating, etc. but even when I get offended, insulted, or underestimated unfairly I never stop celebrating the good will most people have in this old world of ours...and I am not the best of optimistics, I can assure you that.
But I don´t like it when people think Valentine´s Day is "overestimated".
Too many wars, conflicts, hate around...I´ll stand for celebrating love. Present, past or future. Mine or other´s.
My humble feeling.
Under the rule of Claudius the Cruel, Rome was involved in many unpopular and bloody campaigns. The emperor had to maintain a strong army, but was having a difficult time getting soldiers to join his military leagues.
Claudius believed that Roman men were unwilling to join the army because of their strong attachment to their wives and families.
To get rid of the problem, Claudius banned all marriages and engagements in Rome. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret.
When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. Valentine was arrested and dragged before the Prefect of Rome, who condemned him to be beaten to death with clubs and to have his head cut off. The sentence was carried out on February 14, on or about the year 270.
Legend also has it that while in jail, St. Valentine left a farewell note for the jailer's daughter, who had become his friend, and signed it "From Your Valentine."
Now...why do I make all this "going back in time"? Simply because some people deny the importance of celebrating on Feb 14th the love one person feels for another one ...as if loving were something like yoghurt (with due date) or something you should underestimate just because YOUR own personal feelings had been betrayed, misunderstood, etc.
Don´t they ever consider the fact that at least for a while they themselves enjoyed that feeling of love...? Don´t they ever consider the fact their own children will, sooner or later, feel being in love...?
To me, it is like diminishing the importance of other people´s good relationships, like underestimating other people´s truly, sincere wishes to tell each other how much they still keep that lovely feeling...
Cards are the only thing, together with gifts, that I would not give importance to...but I always wear a sweet smile when I see people celebrating Valentine Day...not to mention the simple fact that there was once someone who dared to defy an unfair rule. That alone would make it worth while the celebrating.
I know about bad relationships, lies, cheating, etc. but even when I get offended, insulted, or underestimated unfairly I never stop celebrating the good will most people have in this old world of ours...and I am not the best of optimistics, I can assure you that.
But I don´t like it when people think Valentine´s Day is "overestimated".
Too many wars, conflicts, hate around...I´ll stand for celebrating love. Present, past or future. Mine or other´s.
My humble feeling.
