Blood Red or Pink? Happy Valentine's Day!

Dark and bloody.  That is not the general theme of today's Valentine’s Day.  With parents rushing to get the perfect red and pink clothing and gift baskets, candy, and cards Valentine’s Day represents love.  But this was not always the case. NPR’s piece The Dark Origins of Valentine’s Day gives good insight into the feast of Lupercalia. The brutality savagery of whipped women,  ritualistically lined up for the men to hit them all with the myth that this would make them fertile.  

So what caused this brutal festival to shift into the cherub whimsical lovey dovey holiday of roses and a box of chocolate?  Perhaps The Dark Origins of Valentine’s Day and How it Becomes the Celebration of Love We Know Today sheds light into the transition as literature most significant poetry began to change the narrative of brutality with passion to ultimately bliss.  

So for those of you out there in love, in long term relationships, or searching for love Valentine’s can be an opportunity to reflect on relationships and your expectations on relationships.  For those in non romantic relationships but have loving feeling for your friends,children, relatives Valentine’s Day is a powerful tool to stop and say “I love you!” I provide couples counseling as well as individual therapy for people that want to explore ways to strengthen and enhance relationships. Wouldn't it be nice if Valentine's Day was weekly?

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

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