Valentine's Day is stalking us. Why the middle of February is the time we celebrate love rather loudly and lust a little more quietly, I don't know. What I have found out,though,
is that there is a history dating back to ancient Rome of such celebrations happening at this time of the year. The story of the founding of Rome says that twin sons of a Vestal
Virgin, were placed in a basket and set adrift on the Tiber River. The basket was caught up in the roots of a fig tree, and the children were rescued by a she wolf, or lupus, who brought
them to her shelter on Palatine Hill, and suckled them, saving their lives. Rome was founded on this hill in 753 B.C. Eventually priests called Luperci conducted a three day festival called Lupercalia, which lasted from February 13th through 15th. This celebration involved the sacrifice of goats, blood being placed on the heads of boys with the knife and then washed off with milk. The hides of the goats were then cut into strips or thongs and used for the ritual beating of women who offered their bare flesh. This hitting was supposed to enhance the women's fertility. There was also an assignment, by the drawing of names,of young men and women to be partners for these three days. It is said that some couples stayed together for the year and that some chose to marry. It would be funny if this was the origin of the idiom, "he/ she was hitting on me" as a way of expressing the receipt of romantic or sexual attention from another.

The evolution of St. Valentine's Day or now, simply Valentine's Day, is a whole nother tale, based on the martyrdom of a Chrietian man and his deep friendship with the daughter of his jailer. But today we celebrate February 14th as a day of love of many kinds, and often give cards and gifts to our friends and families as recognition of the importance of love and acceptance in our lives. It is a day we especially recognize the importance of the person who is our partner in life, the love of our life. It is a special bond. "Be faithful to your sexual partner.", says L. Ron Hubbard in The Way To Happiness. This faithfulness is far more important than a card. But a card and some roses would be nice. www.thewaytohappiness.org @waytohappinesstampa