By: S.C. Ali
Founder/Author
Valentine’s Day is a day that is associated with love, beautiful flower bouquets, and many delectable chocolates and candies. However, what is the origination? How did Valentine’s Day evolve into what it is today? What lessons can we learn from Valentine’s Day? This article will attempt to shed some light on these questions in order to discuss the most important theme of Valentine’s Day: love.
The history of Valentine’s Day is quite convoluted. Although the namesake of Valentine’s Day is Saint Valentine, the story of the saint is ambiguous. There are few details we actually know. The only thing we do know is that, “he was martyred in 269 at Rome and was buried on the Flaminian Way.”
The association of Valentine’s Day with romantic love actually does not appear in history until 1382 where Geoffrey Chaucer writes in Parlement of Foules:
“For this was on seynt Volantynys day
Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make.”
Modern English Translation: “For this was on St. Valentine’s Day, when every bird cometh there to choose his mate.”
As time went on, traces of the origin of an actual Valentine’s note lead to Charles, Duke of Orléans in France when he wrote a poem to his wife in the 15th century. However, the tradition of associating Valentine’s Day with love was perpetuated by British authors such as Shakespeare, John Donne, and Edmund Spenser. In the early 19th century, paper valentines became very popular in England and eventually made their way to America. During and after this time period, the popularity of the holiday continued until present.
Despite the mysterious and complicated history of Valentine’s Day, the one principle that we can all implement is love. Love in itself is a fundamental emotion, and can be expressed in many different ways. Artists have interpreted love through various mediums (such as painting, writing, and music), and this trend continues up until today. Although Valentine’s Day is historically and traditionally associated with love between couples, we can extrapolate this idea and show love for others. The implementation of love doesn’t have to be carnal in nature; rather, it can be expressed through empathy and sincerity towards one another.
There are many health and psychosocial benefits to interpersonal affection. Oxytocin plays a major role in marital/intimate relations, and there could be a positive correlation. However, more research needs to be conducted. There is some literature on the health benefits of marriage, but it refers to long, stable, marriages. It does not refer to passionate love. Some health benefits may include: less doctor visits, less depression/substance abuse, less anxiety, and lower blood pressure. Certain marriages can cause stress, so it’s important to consider your personal relationship before making sweeping conclusions based on the evidence presented. Please see the following studies for more details here and here.
If we go beyond the marital or long-term relationships, there are many benefits to friendships as well. Whether you are a social butterfly with many friends, or more quiet and reserved with a few high quality friends, having friends can make a difference. According to James Till, women who had a support group while fighting or recovering from breast cancer had a much better prognosis and quality of life. According to Dr. Sheldon Cohen from Carnegie Mellon University, “Friends can help you face adverse events. They provide material aid, emotional support, and information that helps you deal with the stressors.” In addition, according to the Mayo Clinic, some of the health benefits of friendships include: boosting happiness, reducing stress, and improving your self-confidence.
Overall, love is a universal emotion that can be expressed in different ways depending on the person and cultural context. Regardless, the saying from The Beatles, “I get by with a little help from my friends” holds very true in many settings. Many of the problems that the world faces today can be solved with love and respect. Everyone has some sort of love within, even if they may seem insensitive on the exterior. It is why when someone dies, we all share the pain. When someone is happy, we all feel joy. Let us all implement this powerful emotion. Don’t make Valentine’s Day the only day of love. Instead, let the Valentine’s Day spirit of love apply everyday to whoever you meet/interact with.
Bronze Lifestyle 
