Valentine's Day is a quiet day in a family law office. Go figure. Funny thing is, it is often quite busy afterward. You'd be amazed at the number of people who choose Valentine's Day to tell their spouse they are having an affair. What about the people who decide to call it quits because their loved one didn't get them the right gift (again!), the right card (a funny one - really?), or any card at all? Life and love are complicated enough without the pressure of a day devoted entirely to romance. But is it really? No, not really.
February 14 was celebrated in Roman times to honor Juno, the Goddess of Women and Marriage, as a prelude to the Fertililty Festival of Lupercalla, which began on February 15. Centuries later, Pope Gelasius chose that day to honor Saint Valentine, for reasons for which I will withhold comment. What is really important is why we honor Saint Valentine. Legend has it that the priest Valentine was martyred for marrying soldiers to their women in defiance of Emperor Claudius' decree. Claudius, you see, thought men made better soldiers if they were unmarried. Valentine defied Claudius, and for that, he was put to death. Some legends have Valentine martyred for helping imprisoned Christians escape Roman torture. Sure doesn't sound romantic, does it? Valentine's Day is, in actuality, a celebration of the bravery of one man, who faced with certain death, adhered to his convictions and defied an emperor. He didn't say "What can one man do?" He did. For that, he deserves honor.
If you want someone to blame for the commercialism of the day, look to Esther A. Howland....
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