You may have already guessed which ones: Iran, Indonesia, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia prohibit it. And many more in Central Asia.. the theory is that it runs completely opposite to Islam..
I may not have been a blizzard, but my God there is a lot of snow.. And even the lack of the ‘term’ blizzard being given to a storm does not take severity away—especially those special moments, around midnight, when you are trying to shovel to prepare for the next today. And while you shovel, the wind whips your face with new fallen snow and the drifting begins on the paths you tried to clear.. Yes, that is really what winter is all about. It makes me chuckle to see the Sochi Olympics are experiencing record warmth this year. They should have picked somewhere in the Northeast and they would have been fine..
The snow is ending just in time for millions of spectators in life to celebrate commercialism at its best: Valentine’s Day. No modern holiday comes without its share of mystery and occult, though. Including this lover’s day.. It all goes back to love and fertility, and sacrifices to the gods.. There is a good wrap up of what the ancient meaning of the holiday is.. As for now? It’s to buy as many awful gifts for your loved one as you can at extremely high prices..
How about this: Express true love with honesty, goodness, and reality. Be real. Be you. Get a gift on days that don’t require it…
And that’s my speech.
…and then I discovered just how many meanings there were. I learned something myself..
Roman gods of fertility..
Ancient Pagan Festival of Lupercus..
…saints…
….little lovely signs of love..
Lots.
And then I realized why it was so easy for corporations, Hallmark, and chocolate companies to take over the holiday and do what they do best: Profit off of it.
I used to work in the restaurant industry (and still miss it.) Therefore I can only predict diners and dives across America are filled tonight.. bad chicken and tough steak … being served as we speak. Lovers out to eat.. balloons.. kisses.. and sour stomachs to follow.
Yes, indeed. Tonight is the night of love.
As for my wife and I? We took a more simple approach.. I gave Tara a balloon, a card, and a cheese steak. She gave me Cadbury Mini Eggs and David’s Jumbo Sunflower Seeds. And Ayden gave her an Elmo picture. A simple, kind, nice.. and meaningful Valentine’s Day 2012. Whatever Valentine’s Day means anyway..
And now I have my reason: Lupercalia, when the men were men and the women were whipped.. And now, after muddying the waters as the Popes do so well, we celebrate Valentine’s Day, or at least did yesterday.. The NPR story I linked here a few minutes ago continues to fascinate me.. ..The notion of young Roman men picking female names out of a jar, and having relations for the duration..no flowers necessary in Roman times. No chocolates. No wining and dining.. instead it was the very act of procreation or nocreation that took place with immediate flare..
NPR reports, too,
Young women would actually line up for the men to hit them, Lenski says. They believed this would make them fertile.
…and now, after this brutal history of abuse of women and strange pagan rituals of what could best be described as rape, we celebrate a glorified marketing bonanza of food booze and cards. And the women that don’t get a card are told to be upset.. the men who have no one to give a card to are told they are losers. Maybe those should get together and start celebrating Lupercalia all over again, minus the nudity, whipping, gender abuse, and demoralization of humanity. But isn’t demoralization of humanity what Valentine’s Day is all about anyway..?
Happy Valentine’s Day to all.. At least all who celebrate it.
Billy Joel — She’s got a Way
