Yeah yeah... I know the drill; it's a fake holiday, a "Hallmark" holiday, a day for saps and suckers... a day when the jewelry industry (its all its nefarious and questionable glory) makes a killing from a bunch of saps hoping to get laid or at least maintain some sort of peace and quiet on the homefront.But I don't buy it! The day is actually much older than the modern era, and besides that, ANYTHING that puts more love - even ersatz card company versions of love - into the world increases the "sum of light" in the world. Perhaps that means just one little selfish corner of the universe is improved, or maybe it means that, like the legendary butterfly's wings of chaos theory a small action (say the giving of a flower to a stranger) will set off a chain of reactions that ultimately lead to the end of war in Iraq, or homelessness in Los Angeles, or the devastation of New Orleans, or genocide in Darfur. At the very least it will put a smile on someone's face and maybe a lightness in their heart. The generation of endorphins is almost always a good thing. Reaching out to another human being, in any way, is the acting out of the hope we carry for community even on our darkest and most depressing days.
So... regardless of your present state of circumstances, heart, or mind, I hope you have a wonderful day. It's a day for love, and we can all use a little more love.
Happy Valentine's Day!
