In the movie 42, named for the number Jackie Robinson wore on his baseball uniform, there is a scene in which a father hurls racial insults from the stands. Soon thereafter his son seated by his side echoes the same. It was 1947, but now almost 60 years later, hate is still alive around the world for all the reasons man has too often fostered – race, religion, culture and creed. Man never seems to learn.
And so I got to thinking how much better it would be if we would praise each other and not be grumpy with prejudice or deflect kindness as if were an illness.
“Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other,” I’ve heard. And since hate stinks, that's actually a pretty good definition.
A woman who had gathered over 80 years of living said of her husband," "I think I’m married to an archaeologist – I get the feeling that the older I get, the better he loves me."
Memories build on or destroy the love we once had for another human being. My daughter, a grandmother now herself, recently commented, "Daddy, when at the end of a long day you would make up stories for me and then let me add to the stories, you built some wonderful memories...and that's what love is all about.
Love! Which would you wish to have most? Love or hate? Friends or enemies? Lots of gold in a safety deposit box or lots of golden thoughts about you? Lots of friends or lots of enemies?
"Have a heart" is what I think when I see a red valentine. The offering of unselfish concern; something more than romance, a concern that is deep and wide.
To love and be loved. To give and receive it. To be so overwhelmed by it we don't need a special day to underline – it becomes us.
Do you have the time to love? Busy people don't. It takes time and effort to love. To put yourself out for another human. To think of what is good for others first rather than self. Charities would soon die if it were not for altruism.
An interesting story about putting people above things: A young banker was negotiating his new Lexus along a twisting rainy mountain road and losing control, plummeted toward a cliff. At the last moment he unbuckled his seatbelt and leapt from the car. Though he escaped with his life, his left arm was caught on the door and torn from his shoulder.
A passing trucker stopped and ran back to see if he could be of help. Standing there in a state of shock was the banker "Oh no, my new Lexus." The trucker pointed to the banker’s shoulder and said, "Hey you’ve got bigger problems than a car.”
With that the banker looked at his missing shoulder and began moaning, "Oh no, my new Rolex, my new Rolex.”
Love people. Show you love people. You have to try harder to try. Put first things first.
And by so doing double the pleasure of this most important Valentine holiday because you have doubled its meaning.