Self-love

Theories abound about the origin of V-Day, but the most popular legend is about a Catholic priest who lived in the 3rd century. The story goes that Father Valentine was imprisoned and executed for performing marriages for Christian couples secretly during a time when the Roman Empire banned marriage.

Father Valentine sent a letter to the jailor’s daughter, who had visited him in prison, signed “From your Valentine,” This act of love inspired the modern celebration of Valentine’s Day as a day of love and romance.

So, a priest sent a love letter to his jailer’s daughter. That’s not creepy, is it?

If you are single and without a love connection on Valentine’s Day, it’s important to remember that your relationship status does not define your self-worth. Have fun with the day.

Here are a few things that might help you have a positive and enjoyable day:

Celebrate self-love: Treat yourself to something you love like a special meal, a movie, a new book, or whatever brings you joy.
Spend time with friends or family: Surround yourself with people who love and support you. Have a Galentine’s or Palentine’s Day.
Reach out to others in need of a kind word or gesture.
Embrace your inner cat/dog/plant parent: Spend the day spoiling your furry, feathered, or leafy friends with extra treats, belly rubs, and TLC. They love you unconditionally.
Embrace your inner grinch: Wear all black, listen to sad songs, and eat junk food.

A couple of poems to my daily loves (and I use that word loosely):

A Valentine for My Computer:

My love for you is like a virus

It spreads through my computer with ease,

I can’t function without you,

You’re my RAM, my hard drive,

my keys to everything

****

Anonymous

A Valentine for My Cell Phone:

You light up my life,

You’re always by my side

glowing in the dark

when I’m alone

*****

m.alvaradofrazier

Whatever you do, focus on what makes you happy and surround yourself with optimism and humor. So go ahead, have some laughs and enjoy the holiday on your own terms.

My Valentine to you:

February 14th is also Library Lover’s Day and International Book Giving Day.

Share the message with someone. Thanks for reading, and enjoy your week.

paper cutout — Amor Eterno by Tasha Marks and Emily Evans, Zocalo Poets

I woke up thinking of Valentine’s Day when my kids were young. You know, the endless search a week before (sometimes the night of) for V cards, small and cute for the kids to take to their classroom.

But this morning, I thought of love letters. Specifically, what if we wrote a love letter to ourselves each Valentine’s Day?

What would mine say? How would I start?

Dear Monica,

I love you?

That’s not it. So my mind turned over what I’d write about and soon I came up with words that lent themselves to a poem:

Write yourself a love letter

Write to your heart’s delight, to its dismay

Write to the here and the past

Write to the heat and the cold

the bitter and sweet

Write to light and through the dark

Write to the grief and joy

Write to love and to hate

Write to the nothingness or

the jagged points

Write to the known and unknown, the shadows and light

Write to the truth and through the lies

Write to remember and forget

Write to the clearing beyond

abandon self-doubt

Write to please yourself and inflame others

Write unwaveringly, straight to the point

Write to sing and to kill pain,

Write for release

feel the words surface, plunge deep

Write beyond sight, over the mountain, through the deserts and valleys

Write under the stars, on top of the moon, the sun seeking your face

Write with eyes closed, mind open

Write like you matter,

for you do.

Think about it.

red rose

“To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.”

Oscar Wilde

Tag: Self-love

Doing Valentine’s Day Your Way