#274 Musings Beyond the Bunker (Monday February 14)
Good morning,
Today is another “Hallmark Holiday.” As I have noted before, these arbitrary holidays assign a day to a group that deserves our respect, thanks, and celebration all year long (e.g., mothers, fathers, veterans). And so it should be that we celebrate these people all year long and not just one created for the florists, greeting card companies and restaurants.
That said, here we are celebrating St. Valentine. It wouldn’t hurt for us to acknowledge the importance of love—in all of its incarnations—every day of the year. Today is a manufactured celebration of romantic love, but love finds a place in myriad relationships and circumstances. We love parents, grandparents and treasured relatives. We love friends. We love poetry, art, music and natural beauty. I’m not sure the Beatles were quite right that “Love is All You Need” but I’m pretty sure Burt Bacharach and Hal David were right that “What the World Needs Now is Love.” Particularly in these fraught times, it feels like people are governed not so much by what we love but by what we dislike, distrust, or fear.
Arguably the most meaningful articulation of love that I have enjoyed came from a dedication Andrea and our children made in the “tribute book” when I was honored at a dinner some years ago. I would like to think that I try—that we all try—to live in a way that meets this definition of the lives we should lead. And while we may fall short, these words of Emerson offer us an aspirational ideal of measuring success:
“To laugh often and much; To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others; To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”—Ralph Waldo Emerson
I can attest to the fact that my valentine lives a life consistent with this injunction.
In the meantime, happy Valentine’s Day to you and your loved ones.
Much love to all,
Glenn
From the archives: