A Courageous Leader. A Love Legacy.

At Angel Tube station on February 14.2.24, their daily quote read: “The brain is the most outstanding organ. It works 24/7, 365 days from birth until you fall in love”. I suspect you can relate to this if you've ever been in love. Unless you were a man on Mars or a Woman on Venus, a somewhat dated metaphor from John Gray's 1992 book, you were probably made aware that it was Valentine's Day. The annual day to show your most Instagrammable declarations of love.

While I was "inundated" with options of whom to spend my Valentine's soirée with, I decided to have a date with my laptop and brainstorm ideas for the Curayio Curates February newsletter.

Fresh home from Dubai, where "Galentine's Day", an unofficial-official celebration of platonic love and sisterhood between women and friends of all genders on February 13th, was promoted, I decided to learn more about St. Valentine. Turns out he was a truly courageous leader of his time for several reasons.

Defiance of Authority: According to legend, St. Valentine defied Emperor Claudius II's decree forbidding marriage for young men, as the emperor believed that unmarried soldiers made better warriors. St. Valentine continued to perform marriages for young couples in secret, for which he was eventually imprisoned and executed on February 14th, around the year 269 AD. The Feast of Saint Valentine, known as Valentine's Day, is a Christian celebration observed on February 14th each year.

Valentine's Day, originating in the Christian tradition, has transformed into a global secular celebration embraced by people of all faiths. While widely associated with love and romance today, its origins honour the life and bravery of Saint Valentine, who defied authority to perform secret marriages, believing in the sanctity of love and the importance of marriage.

Sacrifice for Others: St. Valentine's actions were motivated by compassion and a desire to help others. He risked his own life to ensure that young couples could be united in marriage, recognising the significance of love and the bonds of matrimony.?

Communication of Love: St. Valentine's courageous acts were a form of communication in themselves, conveying a message of love, devotion, and commitment to others. His willingness to defy authority and stand up for what he believed in inspired others to cherish and celebrate love.

While the martyr leadership demonstrated by St. Valentine can be admirable and inspirational, it also carries risks, such as burnout, resentment, and potential harm to the leader's well-being. Influential leaders today balance their commitment to their cause with self-care, strategic decision-making and effective communication. The most progressive invest in professional development to ensure their employees, organisation or movement's long-term success and sustainability.

St. Valentine's legacy inspires people worldwide to express love and affection for one another, making him a timeless symbol of courage and compassion. For me, St. Valentine was surprisingly my perfect date this year.