I rather enjoyed these two different perspectives:
[url]Why we need Valentine’s Day (just the Editor's View at the top)[/url]
[url]Pause for Thought from Radio 2[/url]
Love and peace,
Judy
I have mixed feelings about St. Valentine's day. Whilst I welcome a day to celebrate love....it has become a huge commercial industry with men feeling somewhat pressurised to deliver the goods and suddenly become romantic which may feel inauthentic to them.
I would much rather expressions of love came naturally i.e. at any time rather than a concerted effort because of this day....I suspect many women would too.
What I like about it is that it provides an ideal time for those who have a secret love/crush/infatuation for someone to express this in a card as anonymous. I have done that (to someone who did not suspect it). I don't really see the point of couples sending such an anonymous card though....conforming but predictable.
I have mixed feelings about St. Valentine's day. Whilst I welcome a day to celebrate love....it has become a huge commercial industry with men feeling somewhat pressurised to deliver the goods and suddenly become romantic which may feel inauthentic to them.
Women too.
The pressure is on everyone to buy. That's what earns card manufacturers (amongst others) money. It doesn't really matter what you buy, just so the money rolls in.
Women too.
The pressure is on everyone to buy. That's what earns card manufacturers (amongst others) money. It doesn't really matter what you buy, just so the money rolls in.
Yes....well, if people are creative there are other ways of saying "I love you", i.e. don't have to succumb to the conventional route.
Generally speaking, I make my own cards for occasions, except for my mother; she doesn't understand and thinks I can't afford a card! 
Generally speaking, I make my own cards for occasions, except for my mother; she doesn't understand and thinks I can't afford a card!
Love it! I've jut come in from the supermarket and there were so many poor men struggling to choose from the overpriced bouquets! :confused: Sadly these days, everything gets hijacked by commercialism, whether it's Christmas, Easter or even Mother's or Father's Days.
I love the idea of a day dedicated to love - and to me that's about the true source of Love that the BBC speaker was talking about - our one great relationship, that is always there, never hurts us, never lets us down, but all this hype about romantic love can make it very painful for people who are bereaved, who feel alone or left out. I'd like to give them all a big group hug today!
Love and peace,
Judy
Yes....well, if people are creative there are other ways of saying "I love you", i.e. don't have to succumb to the conventional route.
Well, precisely. Very often those creative ways cost less and mean more, like you making your own cards, Amy - that's lovely! (Even if your mum doesn't appreciate it. :D)
I enjoyed the "Pause for Thought" that Judy (Principled) shared, especially with the quotes from Rumi. One of my own favourite writers on the subject of that eternal, infinite, divine Love is Mother Julian of Norwich. Here are some insights from her Revelations of Divine Love that have been a great comfort to me and that I hope would help anyone who feels in need of love this day:
At this time our Lord showed me an inward sight of his homely loving.
I saw that he is everything that is good and comforting to us.
He is our clothing. In his love he wraps and holds us.
He enfolds us in love and he will never let us go.
And so I saw that God rejoices that he is our father,
and God rejoices that he is our mother,
and God rejoices that he is our true husband
and our soul his beloved wife....
And so man's soul is made by God,
and in the same moment it is joined to God.
And from this it comes that there is nothing, and shall be nothing,
between God and man's soul.
And in this endless love man's soul is kept whole.
And in this endless love we are led and looked after by God,
and shall never be lost....
And just as we shall live without end,
even so we have already lived -
treasured in God, hidden -
known and loved since before time was.
So was I taught that love was our Lord's meaning.
And I saw full surely that before ever God made us, he loved us.
And this love was never quenched, nor ever shall be.
And in this love he has done all his works.
And in this love he has made all things profitable to us.
And in this love our life is everlasting.
In our making we had beginning,
but the love in which he made us was in him from without beginning,
in which love we have our beginning.
And all this shall we see in God without end.
(Julian of Norwich, Revelations of Divine Love, translated by Sheila Upjohn)
Crowan, Thought for the Day is supposed to uplift, encourage and inspire. How about moving that disgusting cartoon to Jokes? :rolleyes:
Thought for the day is surely to provoke thought. The cartoon shows a different perspective.