I find it bothersome that some folks don’t like Valentine’s Day. That’s probably because I am absolutely a hopeless romantic to the very depths of my soul. I get it, though, why some are not so keen on tomorrow…the “forced” part of it, the roses that yesterday were $20 a dozen are now $60, the mushy-gushy sentiments and over-commercialization of something that should be as natural as taking a breath. I get it.
But think of what the holiday is celebrating at it’s core. Don’t think of the overpriced, generic cards, the heart-shaped boxes of chocolate (which, I will never, ever pass up)…think about L-O-V-E and adoration.
It’s what makes the world go round and the ride worthwhile, as the old sayings go. Think of a life without it. Blah, gray, grayer-than-gray, joyless. I don’t care if you are talking about love of a spouse, girlfriend, boyfriend, best friend, pet…whatever it is, it’s what makes us joyful in life. It electrifies us, it makes us smile, makes us goofy, it makes us cry, it drives us bananas, but it MAKES US. Humans and emotions go together like peanut butter and jelly. Or Bogart and Bacall. Or Democrats and Republicans-ha. Just wanted to see if you were paying attention there.
As George Carlin shows us, even the most sarcastic, grounded and realistic people can just get goofy over it. He was married to his wife for 35 years and then after she died, he was lucky enough to find another woman out there in the big ol’ world who set his world on fire. And made him giddy to his core. With all the love letters, notes and drawings that he wrote and made for her (enough to fill a book that she published…”The George Carlin Letters: The Permanent Courtship of Sally Wade”), it seems that he thought every day was a day for love. Or giddiness (if someone referred to you as “Sallyburger”…)
SALLYBURGER,
If you took THE NUMBER OF SUB-ATOMIC PARTICLES IN THE UNIVERSE and multiplied that number times itself THAT MANY TIMES; and then added the total number of MICRO-SECONDS since the beginning of time, times itself; and then added 803—you would STILL have only the tiniest fraction of A BILLION-BILLIONTH PER CENT of the amount of love I HAVE FOR YOU.
Love,
your candle partner,
the romantic Mr Carlin,
your eternal flame.
