Viewpoint: A Billion Hearts on a Single Day

?? There are around one BILLION Valentine’s Day cards purchased each year and 85% of them are bought by women. This year consumers are expected to spend approximately $25.8 BILLION on Valentine’s Day, an average of $185.81 per person.

?? I shared a little bit with you last week about Lori and I meeting each other and, hopefully, stirred some romantic memories in some of you.

?? According to what I found, Saint Valentine was a priest who conducted marriage ceremonies (and other services) in third-century Rome.

?? The emperor at the time was Claudius II, who had the bright idea that men would make better soldiers if they were all single. As a result of his new theory, he banned marriage for young men, prompting Valentine to strongly disagree with him.

?? ?Rather than go along with the new law, the good-natured priest carried on with the marriage ceremonies, meaning that many young people across the country could still get married.

?? ?That didn’t go well for Valentine. Claudius II had Valentine killed.

?? ?Lori, our daughter, Amber, and I were visiting Monday morning and Amber reminded us that granddaughter, Kahlynn, age eleven, got a rose from a young classmate in the first grade.

?? ?Lori reminded us of a time that she was standing with Blake outside a restaurant that was doing a fundraiser for the grandkids’ school. A classmate of Blake’s passed by. Blake called to her and said, “Look how fast I can run!” And took off speeding around the parking lot.

?? ?On another occasion a young lady passed Blake and grandma and said “Well, hello, Blake.”

?? ?I can relate. I never went through a stage where I thought girls had cooties. Apparently, Blake isn’t going to either.

?? It is not known for certain why we celebrate Valentine’s Day in February, although there are some interesting suggestions.

?? Probably the most likely is that February was the month Saint Valentine was martyred. Some theorists believe that it was first celebrated in February to overshadow a pagan festival going on at the time.

?? The Lupercalia celebrations involved priests, a sacred cave and sacrifices in the forms of goats and dogs.

?? This was supposed to make the women of the city more fertile the year after, but since the Christians did not agree with this practice, it is very possible that they decided to celebrate Valentine’s Day in this month too.

?? ?We rejoice every time our old[1]est granddaughter mentions that some boy seems to like her. We are happy she notices boys. She was with us recently and saw two girls she somewhat knew and she wanted to say hello to them. They told her hello, but seemed very busy with each other and left after a brief greeting.

?? ?What Kahlynn didn’t notice, but we did, was an older brother of one of the two girls who just kept backing up, waving goodbye to our pretty, oblivious granddaughter. We got the feeling he would have hung around awhile and talked had he received an invitation.

?? ?Two centuries after Valentine’s death, Pope Gelasius decreed that February 14 should be Valentine’s Day. The people of the Middle Ages believed that day was the start of the mating season for birds. Add that to St. Valentine’s story and the holiday became one to celebrate lovers.

?? ?Inside London’s British Library, there is a manuscript of the first Valentine’s message which we still have on record today.

?? ?Charles, Duke of Orleans, was in prison and wrote a love poem to his wife in 1415.

?? ?There is a lot of information on Valentine’s Day and some of it conflicts with itself. The information compiled here is my best guess. Suffice it to say, share your heart with those you love.

?? Wouldn’t it be cool if we treated our spouse like every day was Valentine’s Day? May you have a Happy Valentine’s Day