In the Name of Love!

Be My Valentine!   

By: Marcia King-Gamble
www.lovemarcia.com



On February 14^th say it with flowers, cards, or candy, that's what the media says. In stores, sales skyrocket, and couples look forward to, what for some, can be a dreaded day. Those not in relationships are made to feel hopelessly inadequate or in some way lacking.

But this supposedly happy day, had a tragic start to it. It was the day St. Valentine’s, a Roman priest,  was tortured and beheaded.  While years have passed, and the day has been romanticized, the reality is that a life was brutally taken - and all because of differing religious beliefs.

The year was 270AD and Valentine, the Roman Priest, kept defying Emperor Claudius’s edict not to marry couples. Back then, there was a concentrated effort to stamp out the Christian faith.  Claudius felt that unmarried soldiers fought better than those married with families.

It was a pretty permissive society and polygamy was much more popular than monogamy. But the church believed that marriage was a sacred vow between one man and one woman, and that those monogamous relationships should last a lifetime.

Poor Valentine, who kept secretly marrying couples, was eventually caught and imprisoned. He was tortured because he went against the Emperor’s wishes. His jailer, Asterius, had a blind daughter who prayed with Valentine. She supposedly regained her sight. Asterius became a Christian as a result of this miracle and Valentine fell in love with Asterius's daughter. Valentine's last words in a note to  his love was signed, "From your Valentine."

And that, my friends, is how this day of celebrating love and romance got its auspicious start.

Now with Valentine’s Day around the corner, the age old question surfaces. What is love?

Is it that warm, fuzzy, feeling of being totally comfortable and accepted by another person?
 

Is it the flutter of  hearts and the trembling of limbs - that mouth gone dry feeling- described by we romance writers?

Is it an emotion that develops over time?

Can it be nurtured and cultivated?

When abused will love thrive?

As a writer of romance novels, I believe in love; the kind involving one man and one woman; a respectful love that blossoms and grows over time.

I believe in giving red roses, though truthfully I am more an orchid and sunflower person.

I believe in telling special people you love them, and not just on Valentine's.
 
I believe in showing I care, and that goes way beyond sending chocolates and flowers.

I believe in taking the time to hug or  kiss for no particular reason.

I believe in signing those gifts and cards from, “Your Valentine,” in honor of the saint's memory.

I believe in saying "I love you" and just because you do and can!

This Valentine's Day go forth and pay the sentiment forward. Have a Happy Valentine’s! 

Romance writer, Marcia King-Gamble hails from a sunny Caribbean island where the sky and ocean are the same mesmerizing shade of blue. This former travel industry executive and current world traveler has spent most of life in the United States. A National Bestselling author, Marcia has penned 27 books and 5 novellas. Her free time is spent at the gym, traveling to exotic locales, and caring for her animal family.

Visit Marcia at www.lovemarcia.com  or “friend” her on Facebook http://on.fb.me/1yZ8QNs. Marcia’s latest release “His Golden Heart” is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and on Apple.

Cupid In Love?

Cupid, that winged little devil that shoots arrows of desire and passion, is one of the most prominent symbols of Valentine’s Day. He aims his arrows at gods and mortals alike causing them to fall deeply in love.

If you read the Greek version Cupid is Eros the son of Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty, and if you read the Roman version he is the son of Venus, goddess of love.

I decided to take a closer look at Cupid. His story:

The legend goes that Venus was jealous of Psyche, who was a beautiful mortal, and

Venus ordered Cupid to punish Psyche. Instead Cupid fell deeply in love and married Psyche. Since she was a mortal she was forbidden to look upon Cupid or any of the gods or goddesses.

Eventually Psyche’s sisters talked her into looking at Cupid, and she was punished by losing Cupid’s love and her castle and lovely gardens. She was forced to wander aimlessly through empty fields searching for her true love, Cupid.

( Statue -Cupid wakes Psyche from deadly slumber)

One day she came upon the temple of Venus, and Venus gave her tasks to do. The last task was for Psyche to travel to the underworld and gather some of the beauty of Persephone, wife of Pluto, and put it in a box. She was told how to avoid the dangers of the realm of the dead and to not open the box, but deliver it to Venus.

Psyche did open the box and instead of beauty it was full of deadly slumber.

Eventually Cupid found her deep in a deadly sleep. The story goes he was heartbroken and gathered the deadly sleep from her lifeless body putting it back in the box. Cupid and Venus forgave her for looking at Cupid. The other gods, so moved by Psyche’s love for Cupid, agreed to make her a goddess that she might look upon her husband, Cupid, for the rest of their days.

Wow! That’s some kind of story, love, jealousy, conflict, forgiveness, a quest and hoops to jump through, all the makings of a good romance.

When you hear the twang of Cupid’s arrow leaving the bow, remember he’s been there.

This year do something different for Valentine’s Day. Instead of the commercial candy, card and flowers, plan a special time with your loved one.

Pack a picnic and you pick out the spot, a park, beach, in front of the fireplace at home or maybe a tail gate party for two in the snow. Just the two of you spending time together without the interruptions of daily life can be one of the most wonderful gifts of all. You can still bring candles and a bottle of sparkly to make it a delightfully festive time.

The key to having a wonderful Valentine’s Day is creativity and not just money.

Write a loving message on the bathroom mirror with your red lipstick, and start the day off right!

What is your most memorable Valentine’s Day with your honey, family or friends, or how do you plan to spend Valentine's Day this year?

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