Last year at this time, we were still conducting all our traditional February celebrations in the usual way — including Valentine’s Day. As you know, we haven’t, for many, many years, gone out on Valentine’s Day. A long time ago we decided that the restaurants were too crowded, prices were higher, and usually we had to deal with a special (read limited) menu. So we traditionally go out just before, or just after, February 14th.
This year, it’ll the same — but not same. We won’t go out for Valentine’s Day — but — we won’t go out just before, or just after, either. Of course the reason this year is not the crowds, it’s COVID-19.
But one thing will remain the same — my (almost) annual Valentine blog. It’s hard to write something different every year about the same event, even though this year it’ll certainly be different.
I thought this year we might talk a little about the first valentine — it seems kind of appropriate since it was written in a prison — a place most of feel like we’ve been in lately.
The first “valentine” was actually a few lines in a poem, written by Charles, the Duke of Orléans, in 1415, when he was 21 years old. Charles grew up in a grouchy French royal family. He was the nephew of King Charles VI of France —also known as Charles the Mad.
Like most royals of the time, Charle’s marital life was a matter of state — not heart. At age 12, he was married off to his 17-year old cousin and daughter of King Charles VI, Isabela of Valois. (Isabella was already a widow after being first married at age six.)
During the years long French civil war between the Armagnacs and the Burgundians, Charles was captured and imprisioned by the Burgundians. While held prisoner, he penned a poem to his wife…
My very gentle Valentine,
Since for me you were born too soon,
And I for you was born too late.
God forgives him who has estranged
Me from you for the whole year.
I am already sick of love,
My very gentle Valentine.
Doesn’t exactly fall in the “roses are red, violets are blue” category, but given the grim circumstances under which it was written, that’s no surprise.
Charles was imprisoned for 25 year and was never able to see his wife’s reaction to the letter — She died while Charles was in prison.
So as to not leave you with a depressing story today, I recently read about a study conducted at the University of Rochester that found that men viewed women wearing red or standing in front of a red background as significantly more attractive and sexually desirable than women wearing or standing in front of different colors. Women also felt the same way about men wearing red. The study hypothesized that red also symbolizes confidence, spontaneity, and determination ‚ all important factors in a romantic pursuit. Valentine’s Day has always promoted the fact that red is the color of passion and sexuality… the study seems to confirm that belief. Like they say, follow the science…
Happy Valentine’s Day.
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