Knitting, Botany, Mycology, Nature, Adventure, and Life... in no particular order.
Text
V Day
Happy Saint Valentine’s Day!
Wait, who’s Saint Valentine… well, according to the all-knowing Wikipedia, the holiday was founded in 496 AD and was in reference to more than one martyr named Valentine. (Apparently we can blame good old Geoff Chaucer for making it about romantic love, maybe.) We are perhaps celebrating the Valentine of Rome and the Valentine of Terni. Ultimately though, it is not known what Valentinus’s acts were and romance did not enter into the equation till the 14th century, and in 1969 the feast day was removed from the Roman Catholic Calendar of Saints. Apparently most of the thoughts linking Valentine’s to love with the story about the priest marrying people against the law, which is part of the Legenda Aurea.
Ok, so what does all that mean today. Well to me it means a lot of nothing, especially with the over-commercialization and the pressure to spend money. I think remembering to tell people you love them is good, and making Valentine’s cards as a kid was fun (or for co-workers in past years). To me it also makes me angry that the commercialization also makes many people feel like it is wrong that they are single. Wanting to be in a relationship is wonderful, but feeling like you are supposed to be on one is not. Sometimes it is great to be single!
So, on to V-Day! Happy V-Day! Thanks to playwright Even Ensler and her work The Vagina Monologues (which you can also get the book and read) the there is an additional meaning. It is the celebration of being a woman. It is a recognition of our biology and sexuality. It is about our fears and societal pressures. And it has turned into a movement to stop violence against women and girls. If you have a chance to go see a performance (they are performed on many college campuses as well as other places) do go and see it. Be prepared to feel shocked, embarrassed, uncomfortable, proud, and angry. Possibly even to feel like now you want to try to make a difference in the world.
That too is love you know.
