Contradictions

I just reread my Valentine's Day posts for this year and last year, and noticed what looks like a contradiction, but when I thought it through maybe it isn't. Last year I said Valentine's day had been hijacked by industries that want you to spend money. This year I said that it had not So which is it? Its not an easy answer. It would appear that either I am flip flopping, or that I am insincere. That's actually not true. When I thought about it, I realized it is a matter of where you are in a particular year. This year, having the day off from work, feeling relatively stable in my job, having come to terms with a few things I was less prone to materialistic angst. Last year I did not have the day off from work (and didn't have as much leave--so it had to be saved up for things like getting sick), I was two months shy of my first work anniversary in this job, and I had had several rather jarring things happen that needed some time to sink in. I did notice,though, that Michael and I had chocolate for dessert both years...and it was delicious both times!
After reading this year's and last year's blog posts I have some empathy for our elected officials, who have adamently supported a position at one time and said the exact opposite at a later time. They get accused by their opponent of flipflopping. So which is it? Do you support whatever the hot topic of the day is or not? Well, the answer to that is that times, and circumstances, and perspectives, change. I personally don't have a problem with a politician who changes his or her position on a subject. In fact, I think I have more respect for someone who is able to adjust their thinking (and voting) as things change.
Last year, in my little world, Valentine's Day was hijacked. This year it was not.

Valentine's Day and Lent

I was inspired to write this post by something I saw on Facebook--one of my friends wrote that it is especially important to celebrate Valentine's this year because it is not in Lent, and next year it will be in Lent. Valentine's day is a fixed date on the calendar; Lent is 40 days excluding Sundays whose start and end are determined by the first full moon after the spring equinox (yes, I know the dates of Lent are determined by the date of Easter, but Easter is determined by...). This is all to say that some years Valentine's Day is in Lent and some years it is not. Next year it is; this year it is not.
Valentine's Day for me is a celebration of love and friendship. It is my absolute favorite holiday for the whole year, whether it falls in Lent or not. This year I even took the day off from work--helped along by the fact that Feb 14 falls mid month and I have use it or lose it leave to use up. It seemed like the gift of my time was a particularly nice thing to give to my spouse and to my marriage, since time has become a scarce resource for me lately.
I'm not at all sure what I will do for Lent this year. There are plenty of reminders that Lent is coming--the schedule of church Lenten suppers is out, opportunities and resources abound for observing a Holy Lent, much of the social media buzz is about what to give up for Lent. It would seem that maybe it would make sense to procrastinate a bit--I wrote about the virtues of procrastination last month--given that the calendar has gifted us this year with a Valentine's Day that is not burdened by being during Lent.
And yet, I feel that same sort of cultural/countercultural thing this Valentine's Day that I feel in every Advent. Some of it may be coming from attempts by greeting card companies, florists, restaurants, hotels, diamond importers, and the chocolate industry to hijack the holiday. They have already hijacked Advent.
Lent, when you boil it all down, comes to discipline. In Lent you resist the urge to spend money in spasms of materialistic impulse. In Lent you pray deeply, you repent. Lent has managed to keep us focused on the austerity that becomes the contrast to the joy of Easter. Even when Valentine's day comes during Lent. But this year I don't have Lent to help me keep the lid on overindulgence. When Valentine's Day comes in Lent the whole dilemma becomes a lot easier, and the focus more easily stays on love and friendship.
Oh sure. I'll send out some Valentines today, make a terribly decadent chocolate dessert for dinner, sip champagne...but I most likely will do these things next year as well, even though Valentine's day will be in Lent. Next year on Valentine's Day I won't be caught in the push/pull I feel this year.
Happy Valentine's Day!