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Seeing Cupid Through the Real Eyes of Love

Love - Art of Living Retreat Center

 

“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” –Lao Tzu

 

Lovers tend to love Valentine’s Day with all sorts of romance and good vibes going forth. The holiday is a great reminder that we ought to be grateful for and celebrate the love in our lives and is celebrated in various countries worldwide.

Valentine’s Day is a holiday that’s been around for a while, but not many people really know the history behind the holiday. As a matter of fact, the history may actually shock you. An early Christian saint by the name of Valentinus, was caught by the Emperor Claudius performing weddings for soldiers and ministering to the Christians. This was not allowed by the Emperor, so Valentinus went to prison and eventually was executed. Before his execution, however, he wrote a letter to the daughter of the jailer, Asterius, who he supposedly healed while he was in prison. He signed the letter “Your Valentine”, which is where the name “Valentine” came from.

Later, it was in the High Middle Ages that Geoffrey Chaucer brought attention to lovers celebrating their love by giving flowers and tokens of affection. Today, Valentine’s Day is celebrated on February 14th and many people appreciate the opportunity to celebrate their love on such a day.

 

Authentic love

To have one day to serve as a reminder that love ought to be celebrated is wonderful, but a better idea is to get in the habit of celebrating such love on a continual basis. It’s so easy for couples in a relationship to take each other for granted when they get in the hustle and bustle of everyday living. Haven’t you ever just gotten so busy with life that you took for granted those closest to you? When is the last time you went out on a date with the love of your life and really celebrated each other? Was it last Valentine’s Day?

Authentic love is worthy to be celebrated and lest we forget that appreciation goes a long way, we ought to make the effort to celebrate all the love in our lives on a regular basis. Holidays are wonderful reminders, but what about the other days, weeks, or months? Offering gratitude and small words and tokens of affection will not only keep your relationships strong, they will help you to feel better about yourself. After all, to give something that will make another to feel happy oftentimes makes us feel super happy as well. We WANT to light up those we love; we just sometimes forget.

 

Remember Saint Valentine

Saint Valentine was beaten, tortured, and executed because he was a man who believed in love and compassion. He was a good man. Let’s remember Saint Valentine throughout the year and honor his heart of love by regularly connecting and celebrating the love in our own lives. Whether it’s your parents, children, friends, or lover, purpose in your heart to affirm and appreciate authentic love and kinship. As you do, you’ll realize that love expressed is a powerful gesture of compassion and will strengthen bonds.
Now go and celebrate such love today, tomorrow, and each day after.

  • Send a card to your loved ones. Include a few affirmations letting them know you adore them.
  • Take the love of your life out for dinner, a movie, for coffee, etc.
  • Cuddle up on the couch and watch a movie with your love.
  • Call that loved one you’ve been neglecting lately. Make the effort to get together.
  • Write your lover a poem or song.
  • Do something for your loved one that he/she will appreciate greatly.

Are you a target for Cupid’s arrows?

Valentine’s Day is the perfect day to really lavish love on those you adore in your life. After all, to extend gratitude, compassion, and expressions of love to friends and family is so rewarding. This Valentine’s Day, and regularly throughout the year, take some time to let your loved ones know how much they mean to you. Affirm them and give them tokens of love regularly. As you do, you’ll notice that your relationships just keep getting better and better.

 

Happiness doesn’t have to be a fleeting emotion. Learn how to handle emotional fluctuations and increase your resiliency through film, music, storytelling, and movement: Lisa Cypers Kamen hosts Harvesting Happiness at the Art of Living Retreat Center from May 17th-19th, 2019.

 

Lisa Cypers Kamen is a lifestyle management consultant who explores the art and science of happiness in her work as a speaker, author, and happiness expert. Through her globally syndicated podcast, books, media appearances, and documentary film, Kamen has impaced millions of people around the world. Learn more at HarvestingHappiness.com. 

 

 

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