"Thank You" in the Language of Flowers

A Delicious Floral Trail

I was doing something on the computer earlier, I can't remember what it was exactly now, because I was well and truly distracted by a site describing the meanings of different flowers. This led me off track, on a wonderful journey into the world of flowers, collecting lots of information I'll use for a separate post (or probably more than one!)

Saying It With Flowers

But it made me think about how its not only individual flowers that have meanings. Bouquets can have different meanings too. We give bunches of flowers to say: Congratulations or Commiserations; Well Done; I Love You or Please Be Mine; Regrets, Sympathy or I'm Sorry; Welcome or Goodbye; Bon Voyage; I'll Miss you; Thank You: Get Well; Happy Birthday, etc.

This 'bouquet' of flowers is from me to you, to say a big "I Appreciate You!"

And these are the flowers I would choose for you, based on their meanings:

Angelica

Meaning: Inspiration

Because: I am inspired by you all, in some way, every day.

Random Facts and Fictions: Also known as Wild Archangel, angelica is "a very good tonic herb, and is said to strengthen the heart. Externally it is used as a gargle for sore throats and mouths, or as a poultice for broken bones, swellings, itching and rheumatism."

Bell Flower (small white)

Meaning: Gratitude

Because: I am grateful for you. And grateful to you.

Random Facts and Fictions: The calendula is "a member of the marigold family, and was traditionally valued as an herb," for healing, or to season food. "Calendula is the most sacred flower of ancient India. The calendula's genus name, wor calendae, means throughout the months. Like sunflowers, Calendula's flower heads follows the sun."

Carnation

Meaning: Never Forget

Because: I will never forget the way I was welcomed into the blogging community.

Random Facts and Fictions: The scientific name dianthus "roughly translates to "flower of love" or "flower of the gods", depending on the source. One of the world's oldest cultivated flowers, the carnation's history dates back to ancient Greek and Roman times. Christians believe that the first carnation bloomed on earth when Mary wept for Jesus as he carried his cross."

Chrysanthemum

Meaning: Great Friend

Because: You have such open hearts and open minds.

Random Facts and Fictions: Feng Shui adherents believe "the chrysanthemum brings laughter and happiness to your home. The chrysanthemum flower has been known since before 5000 BC in a small yellow form. " "Ancient China and Japan both have tales explaining how the chyrsanthemum originated."

Daffodil

Meaning: "The sun shines when I'm with you."

Because: It does!



Random Facts and Fictions: "Daffodils originated in south west Europe. There are over 25,000 varieties of daffodils. In New York, nearly 2,500,000 daffodils are grown each year. Prince Charles, is annually given one daffodil to act as a form of rent for land on the Isles of Scilly. Daffodil bulbs contain a substance called galanthine, which has medicinal properties. In fact, it’s sometimes used in treatments for Alzheimer’s."

Geranium

Meaning: True Friendship



Because: You are all so supportive and encouraging of each other.



Random Facts and Fictions: "The word Geranium comes from the Greek geranos meaning "crane". The Wild Geranium rhizome is rich in tannin and was used by early American settlers to tan hides. A tea of Wild Geranium flowers is an effective counter to many love spells. A bit of the root can be carried as an amulet to attract happiness and prosperity. Infusions may be made of any part of the plant for internal treatment. It is also antiseptic and may be applied externally."

Pink Rose

Meaning: "To my friend; Happiness"

Because: Happiness is my greatest wish for you.

Random Facts and Fictions: "The crusaders returned with rose plants which were cultivated by monks in monastery gardens, and used to cure all kinds of ailments. Until the early 19th century dried rose petals were believed to have mysterious powers." "Napoleon gave his officers bags of rose petals to boil in white wine, to cure lead poisoning from bullet wounds."

Sunflower

Meaning: "I adore you; Proud to know you"

Because: I do and I am!

Random Facts and Fictions: "Sunflower stems were used to fill lifejackets before the advent of modern materials. The sunflower is grown for the seeds and oil it produces.Each mature flower yields 40% of its weight as oil. The flower was cultivated by North American Indians as a food crop."

Daisy

Meaning: Innocence (I didn't choose this one because of its meaning, but because I love it)

Because: It's my favourite. And it's Beautiful. Like you.

Random Facts and Fictions: "Beautiful gold hairpins, each ending in a daisy-like ornament were found when the Minoan palace on the Island of Crete was excavated. They are believed to be more than 4000 years old. Egyptian ceramics are also decorated with daisies. This flower’s English name was Day's Eye, referring to the way this flower opens and closes with the sun. There is an old English saying that spring has not come until you can set your foot on twelve daises."

More About Meanings:

Flower Meanings at FindFlowers.co.uk

Flower Meanings at ProFlowers.com

Flower Symbolism and the Language of Flowers at LivingArtsOriginal.com

The Language of Flowers at MarketFresh.com.au

The History and Language of Flowers at VictorianBazaar.com

Further Floral Facts/Fictions:

Flower History at FlowerMonthClub.com

Flowers and History at TheFlowerExpert.com

Flowers Through the Ages by EdenFlorist

Flower Factfiles at Flowers.org.uk

Flower Facts at AllensFlowers.com

Flower Facts and Trivia at AngelFire.com

Flowers in Mythology at MythEncyclopedia.com

:o)

A Paperless World?

Are we Pushing Paper Out the Door, as a recent New York Times article suggests? Hannah Fairfield explains how Chris Uhlik, engineering director at Google, is raising his young family in a 'practically paper-free' home. It seems that, although most offices are still a long way from being paperless, the Paperless Home is fast becoming the norm.

Fairfield quotes Brewster Kahle, the founder and director of the Internet Archive, a nonprofit digital library: 'Paper is no longer the master copy; the digital version is.' In fact, Kahle believes that paper 'has been dealt a complete deathblow.'

Tragic.

As an environmentalist, I'm not disputing the fact that technology provides benefits to the environment in that it uses less paper (although as Fairfield points out, it uses heaps of energy), but the thought of a paperless world makes me sad. Is a paperless world inevitable? Are paper books destined to be archived, or displayed as rare items, in museums rather than libraries?

One book-seller suggests books are 'being edged and nudged out of a position of being noble, to the level of being basic rags i.e.; read and then discarded.' From riches to rags; such a sad state of affairs. However, he seems to endorse such a dorogatory view of books: 'The future is for digital readers that are convenient enough and light enough, that it would be silly to actually have a paper book anymore. Of course the paper lovers will flourish like the record lovers do, and books on paper will become a collectable relic of the past.' (Silly? Collectable relics of the past? Surely not?)

But even Brad Templeton prefers reading a paper book. Founder of an internet newspaper and a software company, and the chairman of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Templeton says he is a 'digital pack rat' and has bills from 1983, all efficiently scanned into his computer. He typically reads e-books when he is delayed somewhere, but says it's 'not as pleasant as reading a paper book.' The Seattle Post's columinist Bill Virgin agrees. In his article about the paper industry, he claims paper books are 'comforting' and 'more fixed in the mind.'

At 43Folders, wood.tang, Merlin and Joe have all written on the subject of a paperless world. Sadly, for some reason, I can't access Merlin's 'Making Friends With Paper' (it wouldn't be a problem, of course, if I had printed it out onto paper) but in 'NYT in a Paperless World' wood.tang quotes Merlin: 'When we rely on a paper document as the final, unique destination for information, we create physical and cognitive limitations that seem crazy once you’ve spent a chunk of your life living on Google. No one disputes that.'

Although wood.tang and Merlin can see value in paper as a temporary resource, they believe it has limited usefulness: 'The value that all of us have found in paper isn’t as the permanent storage medium to which the Times is delivering last rites; rather, it’s in that Platonic scratchpad we all need sometimes to shake out a good idea. As Merlin said, “As an intermediary medium between thinking and a final draft, I still just love what you can do with a stack of index cards and a little spare time.” Even when used as part of a trusted system, paper works best when its data storage duties have a limited life span.'

The quest for a paperless world is supported by Ajeet Khurana, in Dwelling in a Paperless World: 'The paperless world is coming.' However the evidence for this is limited within the article to the use of e-statements: 'The evidence is easily visible in the way in which offices are quickly becoming paperless. Bank statements, for instance, are available over the Internet. E-statements are the order of the day. [...] Where does that leave us? The answer is: With fewer and fewer heaps of paper. Even though there may not be a conscious effort to become paperless, people are opting for a paper-free world. After all, the world of today relies on speed. Paper tends to make life slower, and we do not have the time for sloth. Everything must be completed with great rapidity. Deadlines must be met yesterday. In such a world, paper has no chance against the power of the Internet. In its attempt to rule sovereign over the whole world, the Internet is making its presence felt in all aspects of modern life.'

Certainly, I would agree that there are immense benefits to e-banking, and to storing old documents or photographs for example, on a computer. But while technology may be suited to admin and record-keeping, I would disagree that it can replace paper in the world of creativity, that 'Platonic scratchpad we all need sometimes.'

Joe, from 43Folders, highlights another concern about a paperless world. He fears not being able to access documents because he has been unable to upgrade the necessary software: 'I’m still paying for upgrades for certain software titles mostly because I want access to my files should I desire to, not because I’m still actively using the software. What happens when you keep current on your OS upgrades, only to discover one day that it no longer runs those older versions of apps that you decided not to upgrade? I start to twitch when I consider all of the time I spend creating and grooming all of those digital files and how I’ll feel if someday I wish I had made paper copies of them all.' There are many dangers associated with a paperless world: 'The certainties of a paper-based world are now a thing of the past.'

Thankfully, reassuringly, there are many who disagree that a Paperless World is inevitable. Bill Virgin insists that Paper is Still King: 'The prospects of a paperless society have about as much chance of being realized, at least in our lifetimes, as the wheelless society.' The myth of the paperless world has been debunked by researchers at the University of Surrey: 'Physical properties of letters play a key part in communication.' Letters are moved around the home and shared, while emails are limited in place and are private. Emails at work are restricted to casual communications, letters are always used in more serious matters.

Letters and emails are a good example of how technology has led us towards a paperless society. While I agree there is a place for email communications, and there's no denying that the speed of an email delivery is often very helpful, I think it's a shame that the art of letter-writing is disappearing. A beautiful art, beautifully described by Lou Marinoff in The Big Questions:

'Imagine what it used to be like, say in the nineteenth century, to engage in a correspondence between New York and London. First, you would sit at an exquisite hand-crafted writing desk, with beautiful hand-made paper and matching envelopes, your favourite hues in ink, your crystal or cut-glass inkwell, your treasured collection of nib pens, and perhaps your personal seal and sealing wax. You'd collect yourself, write a thoughtful letter in a practiced hand, sign it, and seal it. Your letter would sail to London on a ship, when it arrived it would be the subject of much excitement and speculation, even before it was opened. Then it would be carefully opened with a letter opener, minutely read and reread, and perhaps mulled over for several days before a reply was similarly fashioned. Months might elapse between the time you sent your letter and a reply finally arrived. Yet no one but would be fretting or fuming in the interim. There was plenty of time to breathe (and good air to breathe), and many other tasks to accomplish, at a similar methodical pace. Correspondence of this kind was an art, at its best a fine art, and was enabled by the works of a great many artisans. The average correspondents not only had better reading and writing skills than most university graduates of today, but also manifested important virtues like patience.' (page 237)

Marinoff believes the technological age has increased our expectations of immediacy, leading to chronic, pervasive stress:

'More and more people in the developed world are suffering from machine-induced dis-eases like road rage, as well as macine-induced diseases like carpal tunnel syndrome. Burnout is rampant, as people find it increasingly difficult to juggle multiple identities, responsibilities and interests. Chronic fatigue syndrome abounds. All kinds of anxieties and undiagnosed ailments emerge, and on one eally knows what causes them. It seems to me that many of these general malaises and specific problems are a result of the mechanization of humanity and the dehumanization it entails.' (page 234-5)

Making marks has been a sign of humanity since humanity began. From the first marks, perhaps a simple cut in the bark of a tree to remember a certain route travelled, or a drawing in the earth with a stick to communicate strategy while hunting, through the painting of caves, scratches on papyrus parchment, loose leaves and folios, the printing press and the personal computer, humans have discovered new ways to make their marks, to communicate their perspective, to record their existence. Perhaps the tehcnological, paperless world is simply the next step in the evolution of written expression?

I expect that most of us living in the Western world now use a combination of paper and technology to write, in a variety of combinations. We make choices every day about where and how we write, what information we store, when and how we share it with others.

Is writing a journal more pleasurable than publishing a post on a weblog? While writing a journal is a very private thing, I find it much scarier than blogging. It seems more permanent, somehow. I can edit in blogger; anything I write can be edited to (hopefully) make it something that makes sense and reads well. I tend to ramble, to go off on tangents and to repeat myself. I'm always unhappy with my journal writing. I really enjoy the community aspect of blogging, the sharing and supporting, the sense of real communication. But I love the fact that a journal is such a beautifully tactile and sensual thing. Writing a blog is making a mark to share with others, about the communication rather than the writing itself. Writing in a journal is more about the act of making a mark. The art of expression, but the art itself. The expression itself, not necessarily (not usually?) expression to an audience.

Are paper books or e-books better? I have enjoyed reading a few e-books recently, and have found it helpful to have them on my laptop as useful resources I can refer to quickly. But they were relatively short, certainly succinct, non-fiction books. I really couldn't imagine reading a novel as an e-book. I could never consider an ebook comforting, or snuggly, and falling asleep on a laptop is very uncomfortable. Plus I enjoy making notes in the margins, favourite pages folded over, or marked by 'love notes' from my gorgeous girls.

I much prefer thumbing my way through a dictionary, especially the huge volumes with barely-there, gossamer pages. But it's not simply the feel of a paper book in my hands that I find so pleasurable, it's the whole sensual experience. The smell of paper (old or new), the way a book looks, the sound of a page turning, or a book shutting. And books are more than simply something to read. They are ornaments, treasures, statements, mementos, and keepers of our heritage.

I will concede that, while probably inferior in every other way, e-books do have the advantages of speed and space. I understand that libraries becoming more digital is a postive move, that Open Access will benefit everyone, but I worry that one day libraries will simply be online information depositories. Where will anyone be able to experience the thrill of walking into a library, whether to encounter the stillness and hush of an academic library, or the vibrant atmosphere of a community library? What about all those towering shelves of books, a tumble of colour and shape, an awesome array of titles and subjects, the smell of books, the worn covers handled by so many different people ... am I the only person who find libraries exciting?

Am I the only person who sees research as an adventure? I can't deny the huge benefits of immediate access to so much material available online. But doesn't it mean more, isn't it a more enjoyable experience, to indulge in the whole experience of visiting archives in person?

And what about bookshops? Can clicking on a small picture ever really compare to handling books; turning them over in our hands, discovering how they feel, their weight and balance, flipping pages and dipping into them, before we finally choose one to buy? Can browsing online ever be such an all-encompassing pleasure as browsing in a favourite bookshop?

Online newpapers and magazines are a useful resource, and I often visit them. But I couldn't replace my Saturday morning session with the Guardian spread around me and a pair of scissors in my hand.

Not forgetting the paper used for writing rather than reading. Is writing by hand or typing onto a computer more creative or productive? Writing on the computer has the advantage of being easier to edit, and is probably quicker. Or at least more legible. But I have to print drafts off at regular intervals, then make any decisions about editing with a pencil onto the paper, before returning to the computer to physically make the changes. I need the whole document, or at least a large portion of it, visible in front of me.

I'm sure technology will never provide such beautiful writing spaces as Lane's notebooks. What about scribblings and doodlings? And isn't a gorgeous diary more of an incentive to be organised than a computer keyboard? Would I get the same sense of belonging, reading my grandmother's journal online, as I would curled up in a favourite place with her hand-written messages? Will paperless documents ever become ancient, treasured texts, like those we cherish now?

I realise this is a very long post (even after editing!) If any of you are still reading, I'd love to hear what you think!

The Big Questions by Lou Marinoff (London: Bloomsbury Publishing, 2003)

:o)

Moon Magic (Full Moon Eclipse Tonight)

The Quickening Moon

The February full moon is often referred to as the 'Quickening Moon' as this is the month when new life is beginning, when animals are pregnant with young to be born in Spring and the seeds below the earth begin to grow.

This year, we will see an eclipse of the Quickening Moon, not on Thursday afternoon, as I mistakenly posted on Monday (that would be the time of the eclipse in Oz!), but at 3am on Thursday morning. If the skies are clear, it will definitely be a sight well-worth staying up for (or setting the alarm for a clearly crazy time!)

More about the eclipse from a more scientific perspective later. First though, a little moonmyth and moonology:

This year the Quickening moon falls in the sign of Virgo - organised, realistic, grounded, detail-oriented, and analytical -which is good news for those of us feeling a little lost, or scattered:

"If you've been feeling as though the holidays destroyed the structure and discipline you had in life, this full moon is an excellent time to re-align yourself with your higher purpose."

Dan Furst explains: In the Wiccan calendar, this full moon begins the Month of Quickening, when the latent potential of all things begins to be stirred towards birth in the Spring.

Thantalas has provided a useful table of full moon names and meanings, which lists the Quickening Moon as that moon that "marks the time when Winter is officially banished. Spring has been born and with it the birth of all Nature. At this time everything in Nature is pure potential waiting for fulfillment. This marks the Quickening, the renewal of all things."

We have had a very bitter but very beautiful frost for the past two days, just to remind us that Winter is still here, but Spring is in the air. Trees are beginning to bud, bulbs are peeping though the leaf mould, birds are pairing up, the air is filled with hope and expectaion and lovely clean feshness.

Crystal Pomeroy describes the Sabian Symbol for this Quickening Moon as A Volunteer Church Choir Singing Religious Hymns, and explains it as: "Luna now guides us to heed our loving hunches, not only experiencing heartfelt goodwill, but acting on it while implementing our altruistic aspirations."

This full moon is also full of healing energy, according to astrowisdom: "This is the Full Moon of healing and service. Virgo understands that disease manifests itself in societies as well as in individuals. There is so much dis-ease in our world and we all need to awaken to our role as healers. This is especially true on this Full Moon in Virgo, with a total lunar eclipse. The soulful, peacemaking Pisces Sun opposes the scientific, nature-based healing Virgo Moon. What a perfect night to release your New Moon in Aquarius intentions for radical change (especially if they revolve around health issues) and celebrate the hard work you have done over the last two weeks toward these goals."

It's a time to celebrate the love in our lives, to banish unwanted influences, to dream, to wish, to make plans for ourselves.

Or to simply lie on the grass at crazy o'clock and gaze at the spectacular sight in the heavens. To feel small, to feel alive, to feel blessed.

The Full Moon Eclipse

The full moon eclipse tonight is a rare and magical thing. It will not be repeated until late December, 2010. But as part of the Saros Cycle it is much rarer than that, being repeated only once every 18 years and 11 days.

Science daily explains why the moon will be a glorious red colour tonight:

ITWire explains why there will also be beautiful turquoise colours in the moon, particularly at the beginning and the end of the eclipse.

As the shadow of the earth eclipses the moon, Saturn and the star Regulus will become visible. This is a rare thing too, as they are both usually hidden by light reflected by the moon.

The NASA website lists other stars that will be unusually visible during the eclipse.

Sky and Telescope describes the five distinct stages of a lunar eclipse, and suggests there will be 'an excellent view' of tonight's spectacle from Europe and the Americas. (They also have advice about taking photographs of the eclipse.)

This will of course depend on the weather. You can check out your local weather for tonight at UK Weather.

The exact times for each stage of the eclipse are listed at Wikipedia. In this country, it will start at 1.43am and finish at 5.09am.

I hope you will get chance to see it (if you're as mad as I am and decide to stay up all night) and that the weather will be kind to us all.

Enjoy!

:o)

Moonday Madness

Monday is Moon Day

I've revised my resolution to write on here every day. More about that in another post, but I've decided to write about the moon on Mondays. I'm not sure how long it will last, but it will be interesting to see how long I will be able to find new things to say about La Luna.

The moon will next be full on Thursday, so that's what I've been thinking about today.

Full Moon Names

Each full moon has a name, derived from Native American mythology.

February's full moon is listed in the Farmer's Almanac as the Snow Moon, although sometimes is is also known as the Hunger Moon:

"Since the heaviest snow usually falls during this month, native tribes of the north and east most often called February's full Moon the Full Snow Moon. Some tribes also referred to this Moon as the Full Hunger Moon, since harsh weather conditions in their areas made hunting very difficult."

April's full moon is known as the Pink Moon.

More about full moon names and meanings from around the world.

Lunacy and the Lunar Effect

The full moon has long been associated with madness.

The word 'lunatic' is derived from the Latin lunaticus, with the root luna meaning 'moon' and the Roman Moon Goddess, Luna.

The lunar effect, a theory encompassing sociology, psychology and physiology, suggests a correlation between phases of the moon and human behaviour. The lunar effect is reflected in folklore around the world, but recent scientific studies have suggested it has no basis in truth.

However, there have been studies supporting anecdotal evidence of the lunar effect, both in

humans and in nature.

Stockmarket returns have been linked to behaviour during the phases of the moon: "The findings indicate that stock returns are lower on the days around a full moon than on the days around a new moon."

Marine Biologists studying the Barrier Reef have observed that the coral spawns just after a full moon.

Rises in alcohol consumption, admittances to A&E departments, suicide rates and violent crimes have all been linked to the full moon phase.

Airline crews have reported that passengers' behaviour is more difficult and that there are more incidents during the full moon.

The movements of certain migratory animals, for example marine invertebrates (such as the palolo worm), have a monthly pattern influenced by the phases of the moon.

Neuroscience for Kids has an extensive list of links to scientific reports into the lunar effect on humans.

:o)

Creating a Life List

I started this morning by re-reading Karl Moore's inspiring post: What's On Your Life List?

(For anyone who missed it, my post on Three Gorgeous Guys has more about the lovely Karl and his associates. It really is worth trying out their Motivator software. And for a feelgood boost, have a look at Karl's Positive Thinking post from yesterday.)

Karl writes about John Goddard, from USA Studies Weekly and Chicken Soup for the Soul, who wrote his exceptional Life List of 127 items when he was just 15 years old. He is now 74 and has achieved 109 of these goals!

Very inspiring. So, I did a little more research and found some more on Life Lists:

WebMD's The Healthy Aging Guide has a useful article by Dulce Zamora, on how to make a Life List without setting yourself up for disappointment. Zamora suggests we choose goals that are realistic, attainable and SMART when drawing up a Life List.

SMART is a useful acronym to use when setting any goals. If goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable (or Accountable), Relevant and Timely, they stand a good chance of being attained. The acronym SMARTER is now often used too, including Exciting and Recorded. However, there is no clear consensus on the meaning of the letters, use whichever is best in your own evaluation.

You can create your own Life List on Superviva: Share it with others; check out some Ideas; chat on the Forums; read the Inspiration section; try the Tips for Success; have a look at various Articles, a Blog and further Links.

43 Things is a similar Life List sharing site worth checking out.

For more about John Goddard and Life Lists, have a look at the excellent Goals2Go blog, particularly the post for September 24th, 2007: The Biggest "To Do" List in the World.

More good stuff on Goals2Go:

Why Specific Goals Always Win

How to Set Personal Goals That Inspire You to Take Action

Do You Have a Life List? If No. Read This Post, by Stephanie Roberts, on her beautiful Cool People I Know blog.

Need a little more inspiration? Read this fab Life List, inspired by John Goddard's list, and compiled by a seven-year-old boy!

Well, having read lots about Life Lists, I decided to create my own. I thought I'd get stuck after the first one or two goals, but managed to cover a sheet of A4 paper in ideas. Pretty quickly, once I got going.

Here are the first ten:

Design and build my own eco-friendly home in a stunning location

(Had more of a barn conversion in mind, but fell in love with this picture!)

**********************************

Write a book (or a few)

************************************

Stand beneath a waterfall ...

*******************************

...with him!

(Couldn't resist!)

**********************************

I have lots of goals involving horses

To own my own, take Youngest Daughter to Badminton, Eldest Daughter to see the Lipizzaner Stallions, to work on a ranch rounding up wild horses, to ride through every county in England)

******************************

To swim with whales. Or Sharks. Or dolphins.

*******************************

Have a conversation with the Dalai Lama

*********************************

Watch the Northern Lights

*******************************

Learn how to play the cello

**********************************

Write an amazing PhD

*******************************

Learn how to climb

********************************

Karl Moore suggests that writing a Life List 'could add a little extra zest. Inject a little needed enthusiasm.' Certainly, it's been fun to do and I have known for a while that writing things down in black and white helps me to focus and keeps me on track when it comes to goals.

I'm going to write up the rest of it (I suspect this will be an ongoing process of adding and deleting things as life changes) and I'm really looking forward to my first adventure!

It doesn't take long and can make a huge difference.

Try it for yourselves. Have fun!

:o)

All pictures courtesy of Photobucket.

What a superb resource ... thanks again to the wonderful Casdok for introducing me to it! x

My Valentine to You x

Such a gorgeous day today, warm and sunny and the sound of birds outside the window. I'm feeling full of the joys of Spring!

A Valentine's Day post as promised ...

I was going to write a post about the history and traditions of Valentine's Day, because I have come across some interesting things about it over the past couple of days. For example:

Valentine's Day has been linked to the mating season of birds since Chaucer's poem in honour of the engagement between Richard II and Anne of Bohemia:

"For this was on St. Valentine's Day,

When every fowl cometh there to choose his mate."

February the 14th was declared as St. Valentine's Day by Pope Gelasius in the fifth century, recasting the Roman festival of Lupercalia as a Christian feast day. According to UCLA medieval scholar Henry Ansgar Kelly, it was Chaucer who first linked St. Valentine's Day with romance.

It's unclear which Valentine was honoured by Pope Gelasius. Legend has it that Valentine was a man imprisoned in the third century. He may have been a man imprisoned for helping Christians, or he may have been a priest. He may have been a priest who refused to give up his Christian faith. Or he may have been imprisoned because he defied orders not to conduct marriages.

Whoever Valentine was, the legend is that he fell in love with the jailor's daughter, and on the day of his execution, he passed her a note, signed:

... from your Valentine.

For more fascinating facts about Valentine's day, including customs from around the world, the origins of Valentine's Day symbolism, and stories of history's greatest romantics, have a look at these:

History

Brownielocks

Annie's Valentine Page


From the Middle Ages, a Valentine was a simple message of love and affection.

So, I have decided, as my Valentine to you, to share a little more of my lovely 'I Hope You Dance' Journal.






The beautiful song lyrics are on the first page (on my last post), but I hadn't realised there are more messages hidden among the scary blank pages!

I've only included one picture, as it took me two hours to upload the pictures on here! And I won't write all the words, but I hope these make you smile ...


The second page says:

This is your journal, for your journey ...

There are some people in this world who wouldn't know what to do with all this space. But that's not you. And there are some people who wouldn't want to reveal or dig down deep or talk about what scares them. But that's not you either.

You're a dancer ...

You really don't have to be careful about what you write.

Maybe someday some unborn grandchildren will find this book in a box in a trunk in an attic.

Maybe they'll see that you weren't perfect ... and love you more for it. Maybe they'll discover some secrets ... and feel closer to you. Maybe they'll feel a little more related, understand themselves a little more, know where they're going just a little better. Is that so bad?

No, no, and no! And please don't tell me you'll start tomorrow.

Pick up a pen (pencils have erasers - your life doesn't) right now and ...

Followed by blank pages. A little further in the journal:

It's my turn again.

Don't worry, I haven't read what you've written.

I'm just here to ask how deep you've been digging, if you're finding teasures

that prove you're alive and human like the rest of us.

I hope you've been asking the questions and not expecting the answers. I hope you've been thinking and thriving, wondering, trusting, crying, laughing, offering, yearning.

Yeah, and dancing.

And I hope life's been treating you fair, although it surely doesn't have to. And if it hasn't, I hope you've been writing down those troubles and travails. Because if you deny or hide or stuff all those sharp edges down, they're just going to keep cutting. But if you deal (some might say duel) with them, and put them in their place, and tell them,

"You are not going to haunt me,"

they'll give up.

Troubles are stubborn, but you must be a little stubborn too or else you wouldn't still be here.

That's why I like you.

A little further on, there's a message about mountains:

There's always another mountain. That's what makes life thrilling and you breathless.

There are days, there are times, when you feel like you've walked so far, when the voice inside you is complaining that it's all uphill, that it always will be.

And then, after all that way, beyond the blue horizon,

you see the biggest mountains you've ever seen and you think,

"I can't do that."

Well, I hope you always have somebody who tells you that you can.

Like I'm telling you now.

Almost at the end of the book is a final message:

Will you promise me something?

When you get to the last page of this book, don't stop. No, don't stop there.

Think of it as one of those mountains.

Bask in your accomplishment for a little bit.

Look back on all you've been through ... on all you've survived, on how you've thrived.

Then go out and get another book, another mountain.

And write about your dance.

You know you're a great dancer, don't you?

So, with thanks to the lovely Womag, for reminding me of my journal, for giving me a reason to go and get it out and look at it properly, in response to her fab Vibrations post, I pass these warm fuzzies on to you, because you are all much admired and much appreciated ...

Happy Valentine's Day!

Love is life.

All, everything that I understand, I understand only because I love.

Everything is, everything exists, only because I love.
-Leo Tolstoy

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I walked into the kitchen yesterday and found a heart on the floor! A ribbon from something or other had fallen on the floor and somehow landed in a heart shape:

Perhaps it's an omen ...

:o)

Gorgeous Journal by Mark D. Sanders and Tia Sillers (Nashville: Rutledge Hill Press, 2002)

I Hope You Dance

This is a gorgeous journal, given to me by my wonderful Mum.



I've had it for a couple of years, but can't bring myself to write in it, because it's so beautiful! Mum found it in while on holiday in the States and brought it back for me because 'my' song is on the first page. When I had a total physical and emotional breakdown at the end of my second year at uni, Mum gave me Lee Ann Womack's 'I Hope You Dance' because she said it was perfect for me, and I needed reminding of who I really was!



I have just read WomagWriter's lovely answers to the Vibrations Meme:



"And the best of all, take a walk along the cliff top where I live, in Southbourne. Focus my gaze on the horizon, listen to the waves pounding the shore, remind myself that I'm just a little thing in this big wide world, in this big wide universe. Ground myself."



This reminded me of this song (thank you, Womag!), so I thought I'd put it up here and share it with you all:



I hope you never lose your sense of wonder

You may get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger

May you never take one single breath for granted

God forbid love ever leave you empty-handed

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean

Whenever one day closes I hope one more opens

Promise me that you'll give faith a fighting chance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

I hope you dance ... I hope you dance

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance

Never settle for the path of least resistance

Livin' might mean takin' chances but they're worth takin'

Lovin' might be a mistake but it's worth makin'

Don't let some hell-bent heart leave you bitter

When you come close to sellin' out reconsider

Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance

And when you get the chance to sit it out or dance

I hope you dance ... I hope you dance



Time is a wheel in constant motion

Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder

Where those years have gone

I hope you dance ... I hope you dance



I hope you dance



:o)

Anti Valentine's Close-Up AND Does Anyone Know How to Unsquash Text?

I'm having real problems getting the technology to play ball today.

I asked blogger to make this picture 'large' but it seems no different to when I request 'small, please'!

Oh well, this is what it says, for those of you without a magnifying glass:

We don't need

VALENTINE'S DAY

cards

or

Romantic Gifts

from MEN

to make us

feel

IMPORTANT

or to

VALidate

our

existence.

We are

women.

Hear us

ROAR!

I love this ... but should just point out that if any lovely men reading this would like to treat me to flowers and chocolates, I especially like Stargazer Lillies and Daisies. And my chocolate of choice would be Green and Black's Cherry.

Cards are lovely, but you'll never find one that will beat the handmade card I get every year from Youngest Daughter!

See, I'm really not against romance. Not at all. But I prefer the small everyday fuzzies to huge and empty gestures. So flowers and chocolates mean more to me on any day other than Valentine's Day.

(And a handful of daisies from the garden mean more than the grandest bouquet.)

And it's not that I don't like romantic gifts. Sweet and thoughtful offerings are always welcome.

It's just that I don't NEED them to validate me as a lovable person.

:o)

Totally off topic ...

Sorry for the end of my last post being so difficult to read ... does anyone know how to unsquash text? It happens now and then and I haven't been able to make rhyme nor reason of it. I happily type up my post, spend ages thinking about the layout and how easy it will be to read, but when I 'publish' it, the whole thing quite literally goes pear-shaped!

Be My Anti Valentine

While collecting links for a post on Student Mum about Valentine's Day and kids, I came across the recent phenomenon of Anti Valentine's Day.

In an article about this for MSNBC, Allison Linn explains: Anti-Valentine’s Day cards have been popular among smaller distributors and Web-based e-card producers for several years. Now the trend is starting to attract more mainstream attention. Industry powerhouse American Greetings Corporation this year added 10 anti-Valentine’s Day cards to the roster of 2,500 cards it produces for the holiday. While it may be just a tiny portion of the company’s holiday effort, “that’s huge for a new product in our industry,” said American Greetings spokeswoman Megan Ferington.

Anti Valentine's Day is definitely a growing trend. CafePress spokesman Marc Cowlin said there are currently 22,502 anti-Valentine’s Day designs available on the site, nearly double the 11,555 designs available last year. Anti Valentine's Day cards tend to fall into two categories. They are either anti-love or against the consumerism of the day.














While not against Valentine's Day per se, having been single and without a date for 8 of the last 10 Valentine's Days, I can't say it's my favourite day of the year. I have made it a positive day in the past, by celebrating singledom with friends in the same situation, by celebrating it with the girls, or by treating myself to flowers and chocolates. (This particular attempt to cheer myself up failed miserably when the dog ate all my chocolates and then threw up everywhere!)













I do miss having someone special now and then, but am generally content being single, until I get my nose rubbed in it, until I'm made to feel less than complete without a partner!





















And in the same way that I object to the materialism and commercialism of Christmas Day, I think Valentine's Day has lost it's true meaning in the consumerism, which is a real shame.

With almost every shop you walk into displaying hearts and flowers, and an amazing array of companies advertising on the telly (Morrisons, Sainsburys, Tesco, etc., WHSmiths, Marks and Spencers, even Marmite for goodness sake!) it's hard to miss. No wonder such cynicism is so widespread.

But Anti Valentine's Day is also about celebrating being single.

And just as importantly, highlighting the fact that romance is a far cry from flowers and chocolates one day a year, a day dictated to us, a day when everyone else buys flowers and chocolates too.

And Anti Valentine's Day makes me laugh!

All the above pictures are from the fab Photobucket.

You can also find free Anti Valentine's e-cards on Blue Mountain and on artist Dylan Edwards' site. He began designing Anti Valentine's Day cards a few years ago, when single and very bitter. He has added cards to his collection every year since and now still single, though less bitter, his designs have 'branched out a little from just raw anger.'

A further response to the commercialism and couple-centred emphasis of Valentine's Day is February the 15th's SAD, perhaps an unfortunate acronym for Singles Awareness Day!

To cut a long post short, I'll tell you about that tomorrow!

On Thursday, I'll do a lovey dovey post for all the real romantics out there, but meanwhile, there are some links on Student Mum for websites full of things to do with the kids on Valentine's Day.

:o)