Happy Mandatory Romance Day!

Just in case you weren't present at the Front Porch on Sunday, I'm going to share a few slides with you that I used to make fun of Valentine's Day.

If you were there, just scroll down, because this post is not entirely redundant.

Let me begin with a few images that may bring a bit of nostalgia to those of us who were required by law to give every one of our classmates a valentine on that... special day:

Although, I don't know if "swing" is really the best word for a children's card anymore.

I guess those are Nintendo Wii controllers. Shows how behind the times I am. Still... it's a little troubling that so far we have "swingers" and "players". Perhaps something a bit more grown-up:

I think this card speaks for itself.

Here's a good lead-in to what I was wanting to talk about.

I know a lot of people who celebrate Valentine's Day, a lot of people who don't, and a lot of people who avoid it with a vengeance. One thing I can definitely understand is a cynicism for the "machine"; the Valentine's Industry. It's almost as bad as Christmas, although not nearly as big. It is the taking of something beautiful and mysterious and sacred, and converting it into some easy cash. Imagine two young people who look at each other, and like cartoon characters, their eyes turn to little hearts. Naturally, as soon as an opportunistic retailer notices this, his eyes turn to little dollar signs.

That's much of why Christina and I decided not to play into the machine when we celebrate this evening. We've made reservations at a brand-new uppity restaurant that opened up on Commercial Street, which is a historic district, yet one that is struggling to come back from the brink of squalor. To open such a restaurant on such a street is a real risk... a sticking-out of one's neck, which is a concept we feel we can relate to.

Finally, apart from the commercialization of Valentine's, there is the question of arbitrariness I feel I must address.

In my opinion, all holidays are at least somewhat arbitrary. Even if they mark the historic date of a special event, it still doesn't really matter what day that event is recognized.

But when you consider human nature, it's just a fact that, unless we appoint a specific period of time to recognize something significant, we just won't do it. We get busy with things, and hopefully we will, if we're doing well, live up on a daily basis to the standards created by our special events and cultural ideals, such as Romance. But often we can let a year pass by without doing something really special to ignore our daily concerns for a moment and focus on something worthwhile.

To me, that's the reason we have holidays. We can't rely on them as the be-all-end-all of the ideals they represent, but we also shouldn't ignore them as opportunities to focus on what makes us who we are.

I sense that you are in agreement with me. So now will you ride my turtle?