Saint Valentine's Day. Now one of the many Hallmark holidays when we exchange cards, flowers, and chocolates with the ones we love. But originally it was a day of remembrance for a beheaded saint, and what could be more appropriate, for haven't we all lost our heads at least once in the name of love? Love. Does anyone truly know what love is? We search for it our whole lives, we ponder on it for all eternity, but how many of us have experienced it? Oh, sure, at the time we thought it was love. We'd have sacrificed everything for that one special person. Done anything: compromised our principles, forsaken our beliefs, thrown away our morals, relinquished our lives.... But afterward there was always that regret because we had given more than the other person had. And regret leads to disillusionment — There is no one out there for me — then to resolve — I don't need anyone — and finally to acceptance — I am happy being independent. Until that next person crosses your path and you fall harder than the last time because you had accepted where you were going and forgot to look at what you were stepping in. Love, like hope, springs eternal. But do not mark the successes of your life by the number of Valentine's Days you have spent in the arms of another, for who among us has not seen a lonely Valentine's Day and who among us never shall again? So to those of you in love tonight, Happy Saint Valentine's Day. And to those of you alone, welcome to the crowd. This is Urs, sitting in for the Nightcrawler on CERK 490 AM, the station that promises not to play any love songs for the duration. Goodnight all, and have a more pleasant tomorrow. ( February 1996 ) |