A Valentine’s prayer

Photo: Claudia Assad, Creative Commons, some rights reserved

While I have never been a big fan of Valentine’s Day, it’s not because I think it’s a conspiracy of chocolate tycoons, greeting card magnates, South African rose plantationers and rom-com financiers. Instead, I attribute it all to the difficulty men have in saying the “L” word. It’s only natural to see business opportunities in that. Males among social species who are left on their own get a little weird–think hermits, conspiracy theorists, rogue elephants. Not pretty. Anything that reduces their number contributes to the common good.

Since the hunter-gatherer in us is only overlaid by a thin veneer of civilization, you could think of the candy and flowers, the chocolate and shiny offerings as lures. But instead of a feast around the firepit at the end of the trail, there is a relationship.

Relationships I can get behind. It’s just start-up costs I dread. I’ve been pouring resources into the one I have for more than forty years and it’s finally getting in pretty good shape. I could never afford to do young love again.

Leader: Dear Lord, may we never have to start again from scratch with nothing but hormones, loneliness, social panic and beer goggles. . .

People: Lord, hear our prayers.

So good luck to everyone who is out there looking for love today. You keep all the chocolatiers in luxury housing; I’ll keep all of you in prayers.

Tags: liteningpost