First Posted: 2/3/2015
Editor’s note: The Optimist column first appeared in the Feb. 15, 1987 edition of the Sunday Dispatch. This column has been edited for space.
Valentine’s Day has to be the dumbest holiday ever created. It’s named after a couple of Christian martyrs, both St. Valentine, from the third century, but neither one has anything to do with the holiday we celebrate.
In fact, very few of us even use the “St.” part anymore. It’s just “Valentine’s Day.”
We send cute little cards with hearts all over them and spend the day asking our boyfriends or girlfriends to be our valentine, which has become synonymous with “sweetheart,” but none of us are quite sure why.
It’s just a custom, handed down for years.
The funny thing is, now one seems to know how or why the holiday came to be associated with lovers, although most reference books agree that it may have been inspired by the belief that birds choose a mate at about this time of year.
There’s probably a joke in there somewhere, but I’ll let you figure it out.
As I said earlier, I think the whole holiday is dumb.
Unless, of course, you happen to be in love. That changes everything.
If all is truly fair in love, then it’s also safe to say NOTHING is dumb, or childish, or illogical, or foolish.
Love is the seasoning that makes all actions sweet. If it’s done in the name of love, it’s not only acceptable, it’s encouraged.
If you don’t believe me, just read some of the verses inside those valentines in the card stores. Imagine, people actually SEND those things … with their names signed to them!
Or, better yet, grab the local daily papers and read some of the thing they call “love lines.” You know, those personal messages sent publicly from people with names like “The Big Bopper” to sweethearts with names like “Dear Gummy Bear.”
If you’re into symbolism, innuendo and double-meaning, you’ll have a ball. My favorite this past week read … On second thought, I’d better not print my favorite from last week.
Just think, for every one of those ridiculous ads, there’s a full-grown adult out there who paid money to put it in the paper. And another full-grown adult to whom the message was sent.
And probably several other full-grown adults who seriously think about taking out an ad but chickened out.
That’s the kind of thing love does to us.
It makes us talk baby-talk, create “adorable” nicknames, and whisper “sweet nothings” (whatever they are) into each other’s ears.
And all without blushing.
Love, it seems, will make a bird out of anyone.
But they say it’s also what makes the world go ‘round. So, it probably deserves a holiday after all. Even if it’s one as dumb as Valentine’s Day.
