TO LOVE, FALSE GODS AND ALUMINUM FOIL

Today Let Us Remember That Love Is More Than A Notion.

There's an old joke that the most confusing day in the black community is Father's Day. The joke is funny because under the irony and sting there is truth.

And if it's true, then Valentine's Day can be the most depressing day.

Each year as the day approaches, legions of people face the terrible moment when they realize they have no Valentine, no love. Sure, you may have your children, a friend, your mother but what about LOVE, romantic love, sexual love, love that makes you blush when you recount it? Well, that's the problem. Many are living without it or with poor substitutes for it.

Which brings me to the title of this piece. Many years ago, I wrote a bad poem with this title. In essence, it said that there was Love with a capital "L" and then there was the False God of love, a poor substitute which was presented as Love but was really like aluminum foil, smooth, pretty to look at but as soon as you applied any pressure it wrinkled, cracked and fractured, showing its frailty. ( I know, but I admitted it was a bad poem)

Love is elusive, fickle and indescribably beautiful. It is not one emotion but all of them tailored to an individual and perhaps moments in time. Love started life, straightened our spine and taught us to walk upright, it built cities then tore them down and it has propelled human beings through chaos that has washed away all the lesser species. It is rare and there isn't a lot of it in our world--




But there's a lot of aluminum foil.

So as we celebrate this day let us look past the false gods of love. Let us shun those who write eternal checks to God that their asses can't cash, then leave their children loveless. Let us condemn those who fill life's promise with lies with hidden selfishness and leave those who loved them unrequited.

We must remember that the First Love was a spark of pure energy, a notion that illuminated the universe and made order of nothingness. It filled the heart of its own creation and allowed a lowly species to dream of civilization, nobility and greatness.

And later, this same love sustained a humble priest named Valentine as he was tortured to renounce his faith but would not and died a martyr on February 14th.

Happy Valentine's Day.

Copyright 2011