Sentinel, Valentine's Day and Lucky 210214

      This is longer than my usual postings are, but it's too cold to be going outside today, so read on until the end.

      Here it is another Valentine’s day and I’m a lover with a lovely woman to share my life with. I would also say I am a poet, but after hearing Garrett Hedlund’s song “Hard out here” I realize I am what the lyric says ‘boy you’re not a poet, you’re just a drunk with a pen.’ If that is the case, so be it. There is a link to the song at the bottom of this post.

      The origin of Valentine’s Day is interesting. It comes from a pagan ritual called Lupercalia where pagans celebrated in mid-February when they celebrated fertility. The men would strip naked and sacrifice a goat and a dog. I’m happy that I don’t have to do that today in 6 degree weather and besides, goats are wonderful animals and dogs are man’s best friend. After the pagans had their celebration, along came pope Gelasius in the 5th century and renamed today as Valentines day. Saint Valentine was anointed around 270 AD, but then pope Gelasius discounted it about the same time he changed Lupercalia to Valentine’s day.

      Whatever Valentine’s Day is or is not, I like candy and flowers better than sacrificing goats. I can’t imagine expressing my love for a woman by handing her a bloody goat. Did that ever really turn a woman on? Maybe if she was starving or something like that.

      Thinking about things today, I realized how lucky I am. I have lived a long life (with more to go) and I have been married to a beautiful woman for 57 years now (also with more to go). I had wonderful parents, and a terrific grandfather. I had some very good years in the navy where in naval technical training I learned enough to support my family then and later in life at Burroughs Computer company and Litton ACD. I have survived several life-threatening situations with no bodily scars. I have loved and been loved for many years. I’m nowhere near being wealthy, but I have a good life with what I’ve got and I don’t worry about becoming poor after losing my fortune, because I never had one to lose. All in all the Lord has been good to me. He kind of likes sinners and that’s also lucky for me.

Song "Hard out Here"