Valentine's Day: Is Valentine's Day a Sad Day for Singles?

Valentine's Day: A day of expectation for singles

Is Valentine's Day a sad day for singles? Is Valentine's Day only for those who are not single? Should it always be regarded as a sad day for singles?

The status of being single on Valentine's Day appears to be something that might be perceived as presenting or depicting a sad situation, but it is something that can be rectified on or around Valentine's Day.

Interestingly, Valentine's Day has no rules! That mischievous character, Cupid, did not pen any rules or regulations for potential or existing lovers. Perhaps that is not entirely true, as there is one guiding principle with regard to the celebration of Valentine's Day. It is summed up in one word and that word is love.

Love is...

Everyone enters and leaves this world as unique individuals. At any one time, many people are in the status of being single, for one reason or another.

Love still is...

Not being single is a status that is acquired as one approaches and enters his or her late, teen years or young adulthood and then marries. Courtship is an important part of the transition from being single to being not single or married. It is always an ongoing process, as well as an important part of maintaining a happy marriage.

The transition from single to not single should be fun for everyone, particularly potential lovers, before and during their relationship.

The Cupid-Valentine's Day scenario can be part of this, although some may regard the celebration of Valentine's Day as sheer nonsense. But, love can be perceived in many unique and wonderful ways. In love, there is invariably joy and sorrow, as well as fear and non-fear. At times, there may be some degree of pain, either real or imagined.

Singles and non-singles alike, share the entire gamut of emotions.  The Cupid arrow can pierce anyone's heart, in a way that opens it and changes one's status from being single to not single.

Love is something mysterious and wonderful for singles and those who are not single. Opening one's heart to someone else can seem to be a frightening experience, but it does not have to be, as true love calms fear and heals sorrow and pain.  It brings joy and peace.

Single is only one status in life, one that may be temporary. Valentine's Day is always a day of expectation for singles, one that is full of new dreams and the promise of hope.

Enjoy the celebration, as Valentine's Day does not have to be a sad day for singles.

The Personal Gift Provided by the Gift of Love: A Gift is a Gift Freely Given

One of the greatest rewards that a person can receive from giving a gift to someone else, is that of the personal growth provided by the giving of the gift of love. This includes growth in the mental, emotional and spiritual realms. This can also lead to healing, health and wholeness, in the physical realm.   

Are there spiritual rewards for giving or is this just a figment of the imagination, something that makes the giver feel good? 

Giving to others is something that we all do, often not realizing that it is what we are doing. We receive gifts from others. Most of the time, we do not pay a lot of attention to giving and receiving or see it as being associated with a spiritual reward for giving. It is just something that we do instinctively, partly because it is the right thing to do, at that particular moment in time

Perhaps we give because we can give or simply desire to do so. We often give out of our abundance and sometimes, even out of our own shortage, lack or poverty, when led to do so. 

Looking more closely at the act of giving with respect to spiritual insights or in terms of spiritual rewards associated with giving, one finds that giving takes on a far higher meaning and often touches a deeper sense of our inner being, when it involves love.

We all love to give and to receive gifts, especially those gifts that are unanticipated, or unexpected. 

Giving in order to receive is frowned upon, as the true giver does not expect or anticipate receiving a reward of any kind. No reward should be associated with the giving of a gift. Neither does the true giver demand payment of any kind from the recipient, in return for a gift.

A true gift is a gift that is freely given.

Within the Biblical context, a gift takes on the expression of love, even love in its highest manifestation. There is a multitude of spiritual gifts that are freely given to us, if and when, we are open to receive them. 

Monetary gifts may be needed by others; the same is true of material gifts. As an expression of mercy, compassion and kindness, we give gifts that otherwise, we may not be inclined to give.

Do we expect a reward for giving gifts to others?

Should we expect to be rewarded, when it is within our power to give? 

Invariably, we will be rewarded in some way, sometimes in a way that we least expect. The giving of a gift may result in a person never being repaid for the giving of that gift. But, it can go the other way, when someone pays a gift forward by giving to someone else, instead of re-paying the original giver.

In order to discover and experience the rewards associated with giving, start giving. Be aware that gifts have a way of multiplying ten-fold or even a hundred-fold. There is also a boomerang effect, as they often come back to the giver.

Be open to receive and as you receive, give more. You will be amazed at the rewards that you receive.

The ultimate reward is the personal growth provided by the gift of love. 

"God is Love."

The power of human touch: How are we touching and changing the lives of others

The touch of love

The power of human touch often brings about changes in the lives of others, but perhaps we underestimate its power?

We know that as human beings, we touch other people, every day of our lives, even though this may not always mean that we have physical contact with them. While the physical aspect of human touch is important, there are many, other ways that the power of human touch can bring about effective changes in the lives of those around us.

The real question becomes that of how we are touching and changing the lives of others. In other words, are we as human beings touching one another or are we touching one another in a way that is good or in a way that is not good? Hopefully, the power of human touch brings about changes in other people's lives, but in a way that is positive and constructive, not negative and destructive.

How we touch others is also in terms of their mental, emotional and spiritual health, not just the physical aspect of human touch. How they touch us and our lives is equally important, as it affects our general well being, too.

How we touch the lives of others can bring about subtle or obvious changes in their lives. These can be gradual or occur quickly. Sometimes, they can appear to be quite dramatic or traumatic in nature.

The power of human touch can lead to healing that in turn, affects the entire future lives of others. Ideally, any changes are always for the better, but unfortunately, that is not always the case.

How we touch the lives of others, affects us on the personal level, too. We feel good about the way we touch others and their lives or we do not feel good about it and may have some regrets later. Unfortunately, there are no roads backwards. Whatever we do with the power of human touch is done, whether it is good or evil. We cannot undo it.

At times, we may not even be aware that we have touched someone's life with the power of human touch. We may not know how our touch affected them, at that time and we may never know. Perhaps if we had been more aware of the power of touch and its effect, we might have done things differently.

We touch the lives of others in many different ways, partly depending upon our proximity to them. When we are near to them in a physical sense, it is different than if we are at a distance from them. A simple touch, a gentle handshake or an encouraging pat on the back, can mean a lot. Even when we are far away from them, we can still touch others with something that we say or do. We can e-mail them, send them a letter or make a telephone call to them. Whatever we do can mean a lot to others.

The frequency and degree of contact that we have with others, can and does vary. In fact, it should. No one wants or needs to be touched by others, all the time. Even those who truly love one another need time and space apart from each other.

All of this becomes secondary to some extent, in the light of the more serious question, about how we are touching the lives of others. When we are in the midst of touching them, are we doing it with love? If not, why not? If we are not touching and changing the lives of others with the power of love, should we be touching and changing their lives at all? This is an important aspect of the emotional, mental and spiritual realm.

Love is the true power that one discovers, inherent within the human touch and can pass on to others.         

Factors That Affect Motivation: On Motivational Love

One of the most important factors that affects a person in terms of motivation is love. Did you know that love has the potential to motivate people everywhere, including you?

What is motivational love? 

You may not understand the expression, motivational love or the relationship between motivation and love.

Of course, there are many other unique kinds of love, too. Seldom does one think about love, as being something that is motivational. Love is inspirational, as well. Part of the reason for this is that love has a positive, constructive aspect to it.

Motivational love is a special kind of love. In life's more tender moments, love can motivate or inspire a person in many, unique, amazing and wonderful ways. This can happen at a time when one does not expect to find motivation, particularly not in conjunction with love.

Consider those blessed with various kinds of artistic and creative gifts. These are extremely important in our lives, as our world is a better place and far more beautiful because of them.

Artisans often find their source of motivation and inspiration through relationships with those who they love. New motivation can come about when they find something that they fall in love with. This may include the beauty of nature, special locations, unique people or pets. Motivation through love, often leads to new works by musicians, sculptors, artists, photographers, writers and poets. Love poets are frequently motivated and inspired by love.

Sometimes motivation and inspiration come about through the absence of someone or something in the lives of potential artisans. There can be a deep longing for love that leads to the creation of something, just to fill that void. What is created can turn into a masterpiece.

Just for a moment, focus on some of the different aspects of love in your own life, including the absence thereof. Ask yourself, how many of the people or things you have in your life motivate you or inspire you, in terms of creativity. Does having them in your life or as a part of your life, trigger emotions of various kinds?

Perhaps you need some new motivation in your life, someone or something to inspire you. Maybe falling in love all over again, is the answer for you?

Is it possible that your real need is for spiritual motivation and inspiration? Natural motivation moves you on one plain, but spiritual motivation triggers an other, higher level of inspiration.

Motivation is there, somewhere in your life. You just have to find it. Maybe it is waiting to be found under the guise of love. Look for it and you may be amazed at what you find. Become motivated all over again.

Love is just one of many factors that leads to motivation.               

Which Marriage Proposal is Better? Marriage Proposals are Preferable in Person

"Is it better to propose marriage in a letter or in person?" is the question that is under debate. This article will argue in the affirmative for proposal in person.

“Will you marry me?”

What a wonderful question for any prospective bride-to-be, to receive from a potential groom!

A stately, but nervous, young man, gets down on one knee and timidly asks the ultimate question. Perhaps he is in among those who have wondered, “Is it better to propose marriage in a letter or in person?”

Instinctively, he knows that proposing in person is better.

“Will you marry me?”

This is a timely question for any era, including ours. It is a question of the past and one of today, but it will continue to be asked in the future. 

What is the ideal way to propose marriage to someone who you love? 

Is there ever an ideal scenario for a marriage proposal? 

To answer this question, ask yourself, “If you were the prospective bride, how would you like to receive your marriage proposal?”

One must argue that for a prospective bride, an ideal marriage proposal would be one that comes directly from a prospective groom who is present, at that time. The ideal marriage proposal would include personal contact and the loving touch of one’s prospective mate. A letter can never have that personal contact and human touch.

At the same time, a mail proposal may be welcome, even when, or if it appears to be cold or heartless, to a prospective bride. but, who wants to receive a proposal from someone in the form of a letter? Maybe that is appropriate as a last resort, but otherwise, a bride wants to be with her prospective husband when he asks the question.

Love, hugs, kisses and caresses are an important part of any marriage proposal. In an ideal scenario, there is invariably a spark of love between the couple desiring to get married. This spark ignites a fiery passion and triggers the marital instinct in young people or in those who are older. Lovers see and feel that spark in each other.

Being in close proximity to one another or in intimate contact with the other, arouses strong longings, desires and sexual feelings. These may not be present or immediately evident in a proposal made via a letter.   

When they are together, it is possible for a future couple to share their hopes and dreams. This is just not the same, when trying to do that by mail.

The twinkle in the eye of lovers, gives evidence of mutual love, respect and admiration. It is only visible to the naked eye. It is difficult to portray this in letter format or in a photograph, though it might still be evident to some extent. Those who are in love have a certain glow about them. It attracts lovers to each other.  

Seldom, can everything that needs to be said in terms of marriage, be expressed in written words. Spoken words are so much better.

Few writers can express the feelings of a couple wanting to be married. Appropriate expression is extremely important. Those really wanting to be married, experience intense feelings and can normally put them into words, spoken (or unspoken), when they are face to face.  

There is warmth, comfort and a sense of presence, as well as a close personal relationship experienced by those who are together, when it is the right time for a marriage proposal.

There is also the immediate response factor that is not possible in a proposal that comes to a prospective bride in a letter. Electronic letters may be the exception. 

There is the giving of the symbolic ring, the welcoming acceptance on the part of the bride-to-be and the mutual, joyous celebration that includes other family members or friends.  

Who wants to miss all of that, particularly when the couple is ready and extremely happy about their plans for the future?

At the same time, traditions and cultures vary in terms of marriage proposal practices and thus, they do take other forms, particularly in terms of arranged marriages. There are times when 'in person' marriage proposals are not possible because of distance and in that scenario a proposal in the form of a letter may suffice.  

Ideally, marriage proposals are made in person.

Top Three Life Principles: Three Basic Principles of Christianity

The love of God and one another is the single most important Christian principle that children should be taught. The reason for this is that all other Christian principles are rooted and grounded upon this principle. It summarizes the message contained in the Old Testament. This principle lays the foundation of integrity in the lives of children and helps them to determine their outlook, as well as the pathway that they will follow in the future.

The forgiveness of sins is the second most important Christian principle, because without being forgiven children cannot know the meaning of forgiveness or its full outworking in their lives. Everyone in the world sins, at one time or another; this includes children. For believers, there is always the option of forgiveness for sin, through the blood and cross of Jesus Christ. It is up to the individual to claim forgiveness and to act upon it.

Freedom is the third most important principle of Christianity. God gives us, as His spiritual children, the freedom to choose what we believe, as well as the freedom to teach it to our children. He teaches us how to live in freedom, according to what we believe. When we are truly free, we can teach our children and others the meaning of freedom too.

All three of these basic principles of Christianity are part of one greater concept. The word that describes this concept best is love, even as “God is Love.” If we truly understand the meaning of love and we teach it to our children, they in turn, will teach it to theirs. Our world will become a better place and one in which we are proud to call ourselves Christians.    

How to Write Love Poetry for Valentine's Day: Guidelines for Writing Valentine's Day Love Poetry

Valentines are wonderful expressions of love. How to write love poetry for Valentine’s Day or for Valentine’s Day cards, presents a challenge for potential love poets of all ages. Valentine’s Day invariably touches the hearts of romantics who want to send expressions of their love to those they regard as special.

What becomes vital is creating unique, love poetry that is appropriate for the occasion. While it is not possible to address every possible Valentine’s Day poetry scenario, there are basic guidelines one can follow. A certain degree of writing etiquette specific to writing love poetry, is always important.

Consider the following guidelines with regard to how to write love poetry for Valentine’s Day.

To whom is the valentine going to be sent?

Valentines go out to people of all ages, races, creeds and cultures. When writing love poetry, make certain that it is appropriate for that special person in his or her own unique circumstances. Avoid writing anything unethical or politically offensive. Whoever receives a valentine should understand the love poetry, as well as enjoy receiving and reading it. It should be understood as a gift of love.

What are some popular themes of love poetry for valentines?

Popular themes for love poetry specific to Valentine’s Day focus on things like chocolates, hearts and flowers which almost everyone loves. Love poetry written around those kinds of central themes will touch the hearts and minds of the recipients, in a positive manner. This includes love poetry written for parents, grandparents, as well as other family members or friends. Nature themes might also be appropriate.   

What kind of love is the sender expressing?

Be aware that there are many different kinds of love. Romantic love is only one of them, but it is an important part of writing love poetry for Valentine’s Day. Romantic love can be very sweet, tender and heartwarming. For example, it might focus on Cupid. The potential love poet could write love poetry depicting Cupid’s arrows entering and touching the heart of a lover in a wonderful, kindly and romantic way.  

How long should a love poem for Valentine’s Day be?

The length of a love poem for Valentine’s Day can vary. It depends upon how many words it takes to convey the message of the sender to the proposed recipient. That can vary from a few words including “I love you,” to a much longer poem of many stanzas.

Is passion an important part of Valentine’s Day love poetry?

Many valentines express the intense passion of the sender, but levels of passion can vary. For example, a husband might write a passionate love poem for his wife for Valentine’s Day and another one that expresses a different kind and level of passion and love for his mother.  A teenager might write an enticing, passionate love poem for his or her prospective girlfriend or boyfriend. A child may write a very simple and less passionate poem for his or her teacher or close friend.      

Should the love poetry in valentines contain sexual connotations?

Valentine’s Day etiquette suggests that any love poetry written for that occasion should be appropriate in nature. Expressions of romantic love surpass expressions of sexual love in Valentine’s Day love poetry. Sexual love is much more personal and private. A love poet must be cautious and write only appropriate, rather than sexually offensive love poetry for Valentine’s Day.    

What message should one convey in love poetry for Valentine’s Day?

The central message in any love poetry written for Valentine’s Day should be that of love. Of course, there are different ways to express love. It is up to the individual love poet to find the right thoughts and words to express his or her love. The recipient should receive it as a message of love. 

What is appropriate with regard to love poetry written for children for Valentine’s Day?

Love poetry for children often contains a lot of visual imagery like puppies and kittens, pictures of toys or cartoon figures they recognize. The love poetry in these valentines should be simple, thematic expressions that enhance the message of love they need to receive from others. As children grow older, themes tend to change. Valentine’s Day love poetry should be age appropriate, but never bullying or frightening in nature. It should not threaten them in any way.

Are love poems focusing on cartoon themes appropriate for Valentine’s Day?

Many love poems focus on cartoon themes for Valentine’s Day. They are fun to write, to send and to receive. There are those that may not be suitable. Good taste in writing love poetry is important, particularly when it comes to cartoon valentines. Mysterious valentines can also be fun to give and receive.

Is there a particular style of poetry that one should use when writing love poetry for Valentine’s Day?

The poetry style for Valentine’s Day love poetry can be as varied as the thought processes of the potential love poet. It is not the style of the poetry that is important, but rather the message it conveys to the recipient.

How should one send Valentine’s Day love poetry?

How a love poem for Valentine’s Day goes to another person will help to determine how one should write it. For example, a love poem can be set to music and its musicality might be an important factor. Voice mail or e-mail can transmit Valentine’s Day poetry and brevity may be the most important concern of the potential love poet.

One must suggest that all of these guidelines are flexible to some extent and that the individual love poet, who wants to succeed in writing Valentine’s Day love poetry, can follow his or her own inspiration.

Perhaps one’s muse leads a love poet to write a certain type of love poetry. There is no need to change it, if that is the case. Sometimes, learning how to write another kind of love poetry can be an interesting challenge and fun.

The bottom line in writing love poetry for Valentine’s Day is how it affects the person who receives it. Intuition and good judgment are always important, in this regard. Writing love poetry for Valentine’s Day may be your forte. There is only one way to find out and that is to try to write some.