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For me, February is the month of “love.” One can feel “Cupid’s arrows” spreading love in the air during this month. Love is especially powerful, February 14th the designated day to celebrate and honor individuals we love. Valentine’s Day traditional gifts to express our love are giving Valentine cards, a box of candy, red roses, and my favorite, a romantic dinner for two.
In my research, I discovered, Valentine’s Day origin is a poet named Chaucer in the Middle Ages. He was the first to link St. Valentine with “Romantic love.”
The story goes. Valentine cured a girl's blindness and as his final act, before his execution, was to write her a love message, signed ‘From your Valentine'.
Valentine’s execution was on the 14th of February in the year 270.
Another bit of trivia about Valentine’s Day, is that there are seven other countries that celebrate Valentine’s Day: Britain, Canada, Australia, Argentina, France, Mexico, and South Korea.
In our culture we tend to believe our purpose in life is to find “Romantic Love” to have a fulfilled life. If we do not find “Romantic Love,” or our one and only, we will never know “real” love.
“Romantic love” is highly valued while “Platonic - friendship love” is valueless and not worth spending time and energy to nurture.
During one of my trips to the Library, I was intrigued by Marisa G. Franco, PhD book titled Platonic – How the Science of Attachment Can Help You Make – and Keep Friends. Dr. Franco supplies insights from her research and scientific studies on “Platonic” relationships value and benefits and offers “take aways” to build lasting “Platonic” friendships.
Dr Franco, explanation of “Platonic” benefit as “friendship in releasing the relationship pressure valve and infuses us with joy like no other relationship.” We are “free to make friendships territories of pleasure.”
Most important, Dr. Franco shares “people think all the time about competition and survival of the fittest, but really its survival of the friendliest. Friendship is the key to us living long and happy lives.”
In reading “Platonic,” I decided to take inventory of individuals in my life, and found I am fortunate as I am rich in "Platonic” friendships.
What would you discover if you took an inventory of individuals in your life?
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Remember to acknowledge your Platonic friendships…. Remember to acknowledge your Platonic friendships….
Looking forward to meeting you for coffee and conversation!
HAT - My favorite Valentine’s Day Hat!
A red cloche wool hat with red band with decorative leather flowers.
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