Early this morning, I had a thought come through about Valentines Day, Sweethearts, Lonely Hearts, and it came to me to contemplate the full meaning of the heart shaped valentine to represent this holiday of love. I thought it would be interesting to see if the heart is perfect for this special romantic day.
Valentine’s Day is once again upon us. In 2006, Keelin McDonell attempted to track down the origin of the holiday’s heart-symbol to explain how it got its familiar shape. Her article is reprinted below and the link to go to original location.
It’s Valentine’s Day, and as usual, people are presenting their loved ones with heart-shaped cards, candy, and trinkets. How did the heart shape become the symbol of true love?
Nobody’s quite sure, but it might have to do with a North African plant. During the seventh century B.C., the city-state of Cyrene had a lucrative trade in a rare, now-extinct plant: silphium. Although it was mostly used for seasoning, silphium was reputed to have an off-label use as a form of birth control. The silphium was so important to Cyrene’s economy that coins were minted that depicted the plant’s seedpod, which looks like the heart shape we know today. The theory goes that the heart shape first became associated with sex, and eventually, with love.
What are your feelings on having the heart as the symbol for love? Does your beating heart know love when it occurs? Or is it your eyes that fall in love first? Does your mind convince your heart it should feel love? Can you be sure that your heart is telling you what it feels or is that even possible? I ask these questions before I share a wonderful love story, actually for me, it is the best love story because it’s my personal love story.
It has been over 20 + years at a time in my life that I wasn’t looking for romance with two marriages ending in divorce. I dated casually but usually the first words after dating a couple of times were “If you are looking for a wife, don’t look in my direction.” That sounds cold, right? I would have run if I saw Cupid aiming that arrow so trust me, I meant every word of that statement.
I had a friend who worked with Greg and over about 2-3 months, she was doing her best to convince both of us separately that we should meet. Yada, yada, yada and she wouldn’t stop talking about it. I tried every question to show her that I wasn’t interested and Greg was doing the same on his side. I won’t go into all the details but we gave it our best to push her away with this meet and greet idea.
Finally, after I had tried every excuse in the book, I thought Ah ha, I would stop in their office on my way to my hometown where I had an appointment, meet Greg and either or both of us could say we were not interested. I was so proud of myself for coming up with this idea, but I think Cupid Dee had another idea. Remember, neither one of us had seen a photo and we had never spoken to each other.
I got to the office, sat down in my friend’s office and waited for the quick intro/exit. She came back after going to get Greg to come in and meet me and she had a puzzled look on her face with the words “He left and has gone to the other office.” I laughed internally and thought “Oh this is going to be easier than I thought. He saw me outside and he’s not interested so I don’t have to explain anything.”
I asked Dee to go to lunch so we could catch up and off we went. We laughed, especially me as I felt I had accomplished what I had set out to do. At the end of the lunch, she got a call from Greg who thought I had left without meeting him and he wanted us to know he was back at the office. Hmm, not as easy as I thought but I would be nice and meet him since he called us.
Here’s where the story is going to get a little humorous and Greg and I, after 21 years of being in love and happily married, have an occasional chuckle. The office had a front lobby/office so I sat down on the sofa, Dee plopped herself at the desk, and to the right was the doorway to the other offices, one of which was Greg’s. In a moment, that Cupid Dee must have pulled her arrows out of the quill and shot two at one time, one at Greg and the other one at me. He walked out of that doorway and my heart and his were forever changed. I couldn’t have hand picked a better choice and he felt the same. Good aim, Ms. Dee Cupid. I don’t know how it really happened but this is our love story and remarkably true.
In probably a more realistic down to earth but even more romantic is the notion that God, more than Cupid Dee, had a hand in our love story. Both of us had hurt and disappointment in relationships/marriages and had given up on real love. God knew we were a good match and if we included Him at the center of that love, it would be forever. So I think He gave our friend a nudge to keep poking at us until we gave in. Thank You God and Dee for coordinating that intro and allowing us to have our love story and our life together. We wish all of you a Happy Valentines Day and if you are still looking or as we were not looking, that arrow may make its mark soon.
(C) Copyright 2012-2022 Arline Miller of Sipping Cups of Inspiration and Reinvention Queen with all rights and privileges reserved. Third party material is sourced to original location/author if known for credit reference.
