Valentine's Day! | The Give & Take in the Romance of Love

Today is a day to think about love and lovers, but also the romance of love. First celebrated and recorded by the English poet Chaucer in 1375 in a poem called “parliament of foules.”. But the evolution of Valentine’s Day has traversed through the riggers of time, ancient texts and beliefs, the writings of major and minor poets, great authors, and even the works of small children into the holiday of Cupid-stricken lovers that it is today.

The traditions vary by nation, but the United States, Canada, Mexico, France, Australia and the United Kingdom all began celebrating it in some form around the 17th century. By the middle of the 18th century lovers started giving gifts. Usually these were small tokens of affection, but the traditions gradual acceptance, and global growth of the holiday of lovers has taken centuries. It is a testament to the enduring passion of love and of lovers.

Also, as you contemplate the joy and pain of love, the perfect way to say it, and the anticipation of the response, the quest for a mate or companionship as more just a lover, remember that you, too, have an obligation to be not just the giver of love. If you were lucky enough to be chosen as "the one", aim to continuously grow in a way that allows you to be the worthy recipient of being loved. Meaning, don’t make this the only day that you choose to make sure that your intended recipient knows of your love, dedication, loyalty and affirmation, but rather that it is your journey to make sure they feel valued, respected, loved, and cherished every day.

True, enduring, long-term love, takes more than tokens of affection. It takes continuous work, effort, communication, a little compromise and a realistic, but loving perspective of each other. It requires two committed people to give and take, to open their hearts, and to forge a bond of friendship and companionship that has the possibilities of forever.

As an author of romantic suspense, I look for those opportunities to celebrate love in characters and in stories. I look for the opening of hearts through grief and strife, and to create opportunities of enduring love between characters which may have the opportunity to find roots and grow. Only then can a character survive the ups and downs of a true partnership to make the relationship work.

Today treasure of characters in your life story that offer you this give and take. Find a moment to reach out with gratitude to each of these loved ones and celebrate love, friendship and companionship.

Until next time,

M. G.