Legend has it that there was a priest named Valentine who performed secret marriages when an emperor ordered that no young men should be married because they would be better soldiers in the war.

Another legend tells the story of a man named Valentine who fell in love with a girl while he was in jail. Just before he died he wrote her a love letter and signed it, “From your Valentine”.

Ahhh.

When I was a young boy I was very excited when I received my very first Valentine’s Day card. There was no name on it and I was so naïve I didn’t know what it was? When I asked my mother she told me to tear it up and then, because I hesitated, she grabbed it and did the deed herself.

My father was more sympathetic and he told me that Valentine’s Day was a special day when grownups celebrated this day to reinforce they loved the person they were married to. He said ‘they’ (mum and dad) didn’t do this because every day he was with mum was a Valentine’s Day and therefore they didn’t need to celebrate it.

Ahhh.

For years I believed it was only married people that celebrated the Day!

Of course, that would not have been good for all the florists, card manufacturers, candy producers, jewelers, restaurants and more if they had only married couples who celebrated Valentine’s Day!

Over the years I have watched the commercialization get so intense Valentine has lost its appeal. It was this in mind I researched the Net to see whether other people shared my view. With tongue in cheek I have posted a story titled “Is Valentine’s Day too commercial? Yes, but it’s not what we want”.

The ‘We’ in the article is actually a jewelry outlet called WP Diamonds who claim they are outside this perception.

Ahhh.

Actually, the Press Release, WP Diamonds sent out is very informative and well worth a read, even if they themselves commissioned the survey.

‘”We fielded the survey because, as a trusted global leader in the jewelry resale market, where romance is often at the heart of purchase and sale decisions, we were curious to see how the conventional wisdom of America giving up on romance and instead preferring materialism really stands up,” said Benjamin Burne, CEO of White Pine Trading LLC. “What we found is that romance is alive and well. People are craving a sense of real connection in their relationships, and Valentine’s Day is a key moment to celebrate that. At the same time, extravagant shows of gifting are actually far less important than one might think for this particular holiday.”

“For women, the desire for a true emotional connection transcends Valentine’s Day and is in fact a guiding relationship principle. Asked to rank what is most important from a man, 96 percent said honesty (the No. 1 answer), with passion (46 percent) ranking second. Far down on the list were “showy” options like high social status (No. 4, with 7 percent) and a luxurious wedding (No. 5, with 5 percent).”

Honesty!

Ahhh.

Valentine’s Day does conjure up the word ‘love’ and the Bible says a lot about ‘love’. The actual word ‘love’ is not the most used but the Bible is all about love. From the first Book, Genesis in the Old Testament, to the last, Revelation in the New Testament, and include the Books of the Apocrypha, every single one is about love.

There is one book in the Bible that is a series of lyrical poems organized as a lengthy dialogue between a young woman and her lover. A third party, or chorus, occasionally addresses the lovers. The first poem is spoken by the young maiden, who longs to be near her lover and enjoy his kisses.

Ahhh.

The Book is called The Song of Solomon or Song of Songs.

It is not surprising that it is attributed to King Solomon as the author as he had a harem of wives and concubines of nearly 150! How did he have time to write?

If you haven’t read it I urge you to do. Do it on Valentine’s Day. It may even shock you as it broaches the topic of physical love within marriage in a very frank discussion between a married couple.

No Ahhh. Instead – WHAT?!

So when someone asks you what you did on Valentine’s Day tell them you read a Book from the Holy Bible to my loving partner.

See what their reaction will be….