So, I have a friend. Our friendship expands over almost 15 years ago. We met after I left the military at Fort Campbell. He is a retired veteran. I’m talking old school veteran. In the days when you settled disagreements outside around that back. So, I often referred to him as old school because he that’s who he was. So needless to say, we had some interesting conversations. He had some opinionated world views and so did I. We talked about everything, from politics, race, culture, religion, marriage, and the list could go on and on. As it often did when, especially when we’d pull 10hr days and sometimes our conversations would get heated, I mean real heated..and I can hear him now…now, now Marsha and I’d say…you know what old man…I can’t…I can’t, I’m done…I’m done... and then we’d laugh. People thought we were out of control. LOL.. He was very stuck in his ways and no matter how out there that thought or comment was…He stood by it.
I’ll never forget his strong viewpoints on holidays, he wasn’t a fan. Craziness. Most working adults, really enjoy holidays if for nothing more than the fact that you get that day off. Oh boy, did he really dislike the nonholidays that people celebrate for no reason those are his words, not mine? LOL. You want to get up under his skin, give him some candy on Valentine’s day. You know how coworkers celebrate.. sometimes you walk in a you find a cute little heart of chocolate on your desk…LOL!! He hated! He called it foolery!!
If you placed candy on his desk for any holiday..he was giving it away.. he wanted you to know that he wasn’t down. He’d say I don’t recognize that.. …he cracked me up. He had something to say for just about every holiday.
He would call them meaningless and he'd say fool those holidays were established just to get your “your money” which isn’t entirely untrue for some the meaning behind the holiday is long gone.
Tomorrow is Valentine’s day and I’m sure my dear friend is holding true to his stance that Valentine’s day is just another meaningless day. Some would agree. Some would say I love Valentine’s day for others..I hate it. Valentine’s day can represent a day of mental distress for a lot of folks as it reminds them of what they don’t have. Many people go through a series of emotional setbacks around this time of the year. Married or single.. Those who are not in a relationship are involuntarily forced into thinking why they are alone. Those in an unhappy relationship… this day and it's meaning close in as they wonder what went wrong.
The phrase…What is love was the most searched google phrase leading up to Valentine’s day? Now we would assume that most people know and understand what love is. Right. I honestly thought the most searched phrase would have been anything but…perhaps gifts ideas, recipes, restaurants but What is love? So, my normal flow would have been to give a definition but I’m not going there today. I guarantee you if asked I’m sure we’d all have similar and different responses to the question. The meaning of love can vary from person to person and culture to culture.
