The legend of St. Valentine

We all know that the 14th February is marked as a celebration of love and romance,
the day we celebrate with our beloved one with candy, flowers and gifts, or maybe just a fancy, romantic dinner at some fancy restaurant?

But where did these traditions come from? The legend of the St. Valentine was not exactly that romantic...After all, it is about a a Saint whom were martyred by the Roman Emperor Claudius II. I may not be the most romantic person here, but how is that romantic?!

One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families,
he outlawed marriage for young men. 

Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine’s actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.

Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons, where they were often beaten and tortured... oh~ how romantic...

The only thing that may find some sort of romance, is the version where an imprisoned Valentine actually sent the first "valentine" greeting himself after he fell in love with a young girl, possibly his jailer's daughter, who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter signed "From your Valentine", an expression that is still in use today.

Outside of it, I hear only drama and tragedy around this guy. So what I'm wondering is, how did this history/legend transformed into something as romantic as today's  Valentines? I kind of find this funny, anyways...

Happy Valentines to you too.

May God give you strength

Recently I just found out that my cousin is having a hard time with her married.
She didn't tell me much, however it's look like it's over...
She have been visiting the church a lot lately, although she isn't Christian.

She told me that she got faith and hope from God, and that she was lucky to know him at the critical time. But sometimes bad emotion come up, and it's sad to hear her cries through the phone and letters that she share with me. Since she lives in another country I can't give her much more support than words... that kinda make me feel a little helpless...

I haven't been in a relationship, so I don't know what I can say that can make it more comfortable for her... since she started to believe in Christianity,  I hope God will be with her and give her more strength to overcome this difficult time and may this song give you strength and consolation!

Love?

A friend of my called me today, and asked what real love is. A word who have never crossed my mind before was now asked.

I was kinda put out of it... unlike me, I couldn't answers at all.

The emotion that all hunting and looking for, but few have experienced, have never crossed my mind before now.

The feeling that make you float on clouds and everything seems like a rose dance, sounds like an unreal fairy tale to me. Almost like a lie.

A hormone that produce in your brain and make you high on it, but as soon the brain stop produce it the feeling also weakened. So is it really something that is called "real love" then?

Can't say that I understand this feeling called "love", I won't force myself to understand it either. but maybe one day I will experience it...