wacky wednesday - a crazy little thing called love

In case you just woke up from a coma or have been secluded somewhere without a calendar or media of any kind, this Friday is February 14th … Valentine's Day… the love holiday. The hype this year began BEFORE Christmas when some retailers began displaying heart-shaped decor and red and pink cards galore (kinda sounds like a greeting card, doesn't it?).

So what is this holiday all about?

This was one of three Valentine's Day displays set up outside a local grocery store this week. 

And there were many more inside! Oy vey!!

While its roots go back much farther (to times of Christian religious feasts and celebrations commemorating Saint Valentine (actually there were at least three) around AD 500 or so), Valentine's Day, as it is currently celebrated, began in the United Kingdom in the 18th century with Victorian-style valentine cards, the giving of chocolate and flowers as well as the use of the well-known "love symbols"- hearts, doves, winged cupids, etc. Gifts and cards were typically hand-made by the giver for his, or her, true love. As one would expect, the tradition was picked up by the American colonies and flourished.

Fast forward several centuries and we now find a $14.7 BILLION industry in the U.S. alone. It is conservatively estimated that Americans spend around $277 million each year on Valentine cards alone. And, incidentally, cards and gifts are typically not hand-made among the age 10 and older crowd.

I may be old-fashioned and a bit of a sentimentalist but I think we have completely missed the mark. Contrary to what Hallmark would like us to think, nothing says "I care" like a hand-made card or hand-written note extolling your adoration for your true love. I enjoy a nice dinner or fresh flowers as much as the next gal but what is really meaningful to me is love shown through words and actions. I think the Apostle Paul best describes real love in his first letter to the Corinthians who were living in a place filled with idolatry and immorality - sound like anyplace you know? He wrote, "Love is patient; love is kind. It does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." (1 Corinthians 13:4-7) 

Enjoy indulging your special valentine with a box of chocolates or beautiful flowers this Valentine's Day but also give some thought to Paul's challenging, yet encouraging, words and make every day a "love holiday."