Guest blog post for Valentine’s Day
by Richard Clark of The Gabriel Series.
St. Valentine’s Day approaches. If you look at how the holiday is presented, you’d likely conclude that love is identical with sex, and that the entirety of civilization is already paired up, like the animals waiting to enter Noah’s Ark.
But not everyone is part of a pair. Some of us are single, or single again. Some of us are waiting for that one great love of our life. Some of us had that love, and tragically lost it.
I lost my wife to cancer a couple of years ago. Although I am convinced she is still with me, my life will never be the same. Valentine’s Day will never be the same.
In reflecting on this, I began to notice things about the holiday I’d never seen before. As I said, it seems to be a holiday directed toward sexual partners and not to any other kind of love, and certainly not to those who are single.
So I took it up on myself, with the encouragement of my son, Gabriel, to pen a short post on Valentine’s Day for (as he puts it) the rest of us. A sort of Valentine’s Festivus, if you will. (Hat tip to Seinfeld)
- St. Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love. But love isn’t identical with sex. If you reduce love to sex then you are missing out on other important kinds of love. Think of Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to celebrate your love for others – friends, family, co-workers, fellow citizens, the homeless, and those in need.
- You can’t celebrate love of others without having love for yourself. It’s important to care for yourself and to treat yourself with kindness. We all have internal monologues that whisper doubts and nasty words in our ears. Silence them. Speak to yourself and others with compassion and charity.
- Do something. Love is a verb, as well as a noun. Be practical. You can show love for your friends by being thoughtful. You can show love for humanity by being generous and patient.
- Reject the lie that says that only couples are happy. Being part of a couple can contribute to happiness, but it brings with it a host of challenges. The same can be said for a single life. You don’t need another person to make you happy, and more importantly, you shouldn’t look to another person to seal your happiness. This will only lead to disappointment. Focus on other meaningful things – living a good life, being charitable and generous, developing your faith and spirituality, becoming a peacemaker, etc.
I wish you all a very happy St. Valentine’s Day and I hope that you will be kind to yourself and others today and throughout the year.
With every good wish,
Richard Clark.
I am honoured to have had all three of my novels appear on the New York Times and USA Today Bestseller lists. I was a Semifinalist for Best Author in the 2011 and 2012 Goodreads Choice Awards. {
Perfectly expressed (as always), SR. The day is is not only a celebration of Eros, but of the other types of love as well. Happy V-Day to you, my compassionate friend. You’re the best. 🙂
Awww, seeing Terry’s post makes this that much more poignant and meaningful. RIP Terry xoxox Nancee
Miss you Terry. So much love and respect, my friend.
Wow…this was something special. 🙂 A very important message here for those considered …. the rest of us! How poignant to share such a message during a time that many singles may feel extra lonely.
Richard, like his charismatic Son Gabriel; and in fact like many of the characters in the Gabriel series (including the lovable SN) is enchanting. His kind and thought provoking words are endearing and full of hope.
Please thank Richard for his wise words …. I hope someday we hear more from this charming gentleman.
May your Valentines Day be filled with love and peace.
Kez
xoxo
Thank you for sharing what is in your heart, Richard. It was truly an inspirational piece for everyone. “To love another person is to see the face of God.” –Les Miserables
Happy Valentine’s Day! 🙂
words to describe how beautiful it was!
Thank you!
Here in Brazil Valentine’s Day is June 12 for being the eve of the day of St. Anthony is the matchmaker…
But selebrar love on Valentine’s Day is also beautiful and important.
Thank you for this wonderful text!
With all my affection Thais
Absolutamente maravilloso. “Amor es un verbo y un nombre” , sin palabras. Mil gracias.
Thank YOU Richard and SR :- ) Celebrating all kinds of LOVE this holiday. Love for my husband, yes, and for my children, friends and family. Witnessing new love with my 72 year old mother who has just re-married, both finding love again after both of their spouses passed away. There is hope for new romantic love for you too Richard you desire and find it again. Love of Reading. Love for my students and thus finding love and passion for my profession. Still working on loving myself enough to give myself a break now and then. So thank for that reminder. 😉
That was lovely! Thank you, SR, for once again reminding us what’s important on this day celebrating love of all kinds! Wishing you too a very happy Valentine’s Day!
xo
Nan
I loved this words *O*
I needed to read this! To calm my heart…sometimes I hurry to love and be loved…but
all has your time. I’m waiting for that one great love of my life <3′
Tank you for this, SR! 😀 I’m very happy with all I read!
Je suis tomber sur ce post que hier soir et il m’a beaucoup touchée, j’en ai même pleurée bon peut-être parce qu’en ce moment je suis plus émotive mais ces mots me touchent, car ils sont très juste et parfois c’est pas toujours facile de se rappeler tout ça
C’est un magnifique post que je relirais souvent quand j’en ressentirais le besoin,
Merci 🙂
Aunque han pasado más de dos meses de la fecha de San Valentín acabo de descubrir la carta de Richard y me ha parecido maravillosa.Sinceramente S. R. eres increíble, sublime en tus escritos.
Desde Canarias un grandísimo abrazo
Pilar
Thank you for sharing this once again.
Thank you SR for your post of Valentine’s Festivus – A Valentine for the rest of Us By Richard Clark. Valentine’s Day, used to be a day I would always look forward to as I have always been a romantic at heart , but when I loss my father suddenly on February 13, 1999, my whole world changed. I no longer looked forward to Valentine’s Day even though I am married to my best friend, the man who is the centre of your universe and has been for the past 30 years, but after reading your post I now see Valentine’s Day in a new light. Thank you for continuing to post written work that is encouraging and inspiring. I am now looking forward to this coming Valentine’s Day with a new appreciation and purpose.
This is really beautiful. An excellent reflection on love in its entirety, and how everyone is entitled to feel its presence.
Happy Valentine’s Day. Everyday.
Happy Valentines Everyone!
Thank you for sharing this. This is a great reminder to all of us. I am then reminded to share this to my students since teenagers now a days seem to think that February 14 is associated to sex. God Bless all our good heart!
xoxo
V
I’d love to share this with both of my divorced daughters.
beautiful words, thanks!!! Please celebrate the love every day!!!!
Beautiful words from a beautiful soul. You can see where Gabriel gets his passion for love from. I hope, Richard, that you find love again. You deserve to be loved. Happy Valentine’s Day Richard and SR!
SR and Mr.Clark,
Thank you so much for reminding us that the sensation, the expression of love runs much, much deeper than skin level; that it thrives in our soul where we are free to express it fully moment by moment, smile by smile, perhaps as touch to touch but that’s not necessary to experience the joy that being truly seen brings. I look forward to sharing your writing, your feelings with my yoga students when I teach my Valentines class on Saturday.
Thank you, DS
Sylvain, Thank you for helping me to remember how good a man Richard is and to be reminded of the wonderful chemistry between father and son. An English Biologist named Thomas Huxley said “The great end of life is not knowledge but action.” This reminds me somewhat of Gabriel’s eventual redemption in your wonderful books. Although knowledge was a given for the Professor, he was moved to charity and goodness through the memory of his wonderful deceased mother and by his Julia. It seems that he began to embrace the spirit it of Valentine’s day, as posited above ,in his daily
life.
Thank you!
Very well written. I feel that today, holidays are so commercialized. People get caught up in that side of the holiday. And forget to just be kind to one another. I don’t want a card or gift just because that’s what you think you need to do today. I want the tender smiles, hugs and kisses everyday. I may be a dreamer, but I feel that kindness, and love say more about a person than, a box of chocolates. Hope you have a great day. I’m sorry to hear about your wife, and hope you can find love again. It won’t be a great love like you had with her, but if you open your heart you can love again.
Simplesmente maravilhoso,muito esclarecedor.
Preciso aprender a me amar mais.
Hay Dios mio esto esta bello. Gracisd SR
That is a beautiful sentiment we all should follow. You write such inspiring works of art, I will be forever grateful for them. Happy Valentines Day
Una hermosa reflexión que nos invita a dar más amor pero al que lo necesita quitarnos un poco de erróneo amor propio o lástima por nosotros mismos y darle verdadero afecto a quien lo necesita…. estoy llorando… Me llegó al alma…
Gracias Richard…
Att
?Flor de Agua?
Just so beautiful SR and so true? (sigh)
Xoxo
Thank you, as always, for inspiring with your words. A very happy Valentine’s Festivus to you, SR. ♥️
I absolutely love this. I became a widow on 2-19-15 when my husband was freed of a ten year illness. He lives on in my heart and I see him daily in our 3 sons and 2 grandsons. .
HI Annamarie,
I am so sorry for your loss …
Thank you for your kind words,
SR
Beautiful Words! Happy Valentine’s day with love and peace to you SR.
Peace be with you, Judi.
THanks, SR
A man after my own heart. The words are beautiful and true. I wrote something a few ago about this very holiday. I look forward to reading more from SR. ❤️ Happy Valentines Day everyone
Thanks very much Robin, SR
This are the words that i was need to hear. Thank you Richard!!
Thank you for reading, SR