Valentines…

We had such a fabulous Valentines weekend here at the spa…it is so beautiful to see couples and friends expressing their admiration for one another. I have always been a huge fan of Valentines day, not because it is the second largest card-sending holiday of the year (according to the Greeting Card Association) but because it brings our focus to love. And love, after all, is what it is all about.

I have a handful of friends and acquaintances that despise Valentines day…each for their own reasons, but there is common theme of believing that it is a “made up holiday” conjured up by the capitalist world to “sell stuff”. There is also the notion that it is just for people in romantic relationships – so those folks that are not in romantic relationships feel left out.

However, with a little research on the oh-so-handy internet I discovered that though there is no definitive answer to the exact history of Valentines day we can track the tradition of giving small gifts and notes back to 1415 when Charles, Duke of Orleans wrote a poem to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London after his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. There is also legend that St. Valentine himself scribed the first “Valentine” to a young girl whom he fell in love with while imprisoned – signing it “From your Valentine”.

Either way – these sentiments of love came way before the commercializing of greeting cards. It wasn’t until the end of the 18th century, when printing technology improved, that manufactured cards started to replace handwritten notes and trinkets.

As for those single folk that dismiss Valentines day, I understand. And I hope that you can find someway to see that love whether romantic, platonic, or familial is worth celebrating.

Though my goal is to be centered in this abundance of love, it is not always my focus as my daily life takes hold. So….for this one day (though I try to stretch it out for the whole month – ask my husband!) I find myself right where I want to be – in the center of a world overcome with the festivity of love…awesome.

-Briana