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Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentine's Day -- and its patron saint -- is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.

 

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 -- his crop of potential soldiers. 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.

 

According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl -- who may have been his jailor's daughter -- who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France.

 

While some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine's death or burial -- which probably occurred around 270 A.D -- others claim that the Christian church may have decided to celebrate Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to 'christianize' celebrations of the pagan Lupercalia festival. In ancient Rome, February was the official beginning of spring and was considered a time for purification. Houses were ritually cleansed by sweeping them out and then sprinkling salt and a type of wheat called spelt throughout their interiors. Lupercalia, which began at the ides of February, February 15, was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.

 

To begin the festival, members of the Luperci, an order of Roman priests, would gather at the sacred cave where the infants Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were believed to have been cared for by a she-wolf or lupa. The priests would then sacrifice a goat, for fertility, and a dog, for purification.

 

The boys then sliced the goat's hide into strips, dipped them in the sacrificial blood and took to the streets, gently slapping both women and fields of crops with the goathide strips. Far from being fearful, Roman women welcomed being touched with the hides because it was believed the strips would make them more fertile in the coming year. Later in the day, according to legend, all the young women in the city would place their names in a big urn. The city's bachelors would then each choose a name out of the urn and become paired for the year with his chosen woman. These matches often ended in marriage. Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine's Day around 498 A.D. The Roman 'lottery' system for romantic pairing was deemed un-Christian and outlawed. Later, during the Middle Ages, it was commonly believed in France and England that February 14 was the beginning of birds' mating season, which added to the idea that the middle of February -- Valentine's Day -- should be a day for romance. The oldest known valentine still in existence today was a poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. The greeting, which was written in 1415, is part of the manuscript collection of the British Library in London, England. Several years later, it is believed that King Henry V hired a writer named John Lydgate to compose a valentine note to Catherine of Valois.

 

In Great Britain, Valentine's Day began to be popularly celebrated around the seventeenth century. By the middle of the eighteenth century, it was common for friends and lovers in all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes. By the end of the century, printed cards began to replace written letters due to improvements in printing technology. Ready-made cards were an easy way for people to express their emotions in a time when direct expression of one's feelings was discouraged. Cheaper postage rates also contributed to an increase in the popularity of sending Valentine's Day greetings. Americans probably began exchanging hand-made valentines in the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther A. Howland began to sell the first mass-produced valentines in America.

 

According to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated one billion valentine cards are sent each year, making Valentine's Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year. (An estimated 2.6 billion cards are sent for Christmas.)

 

Approximately 85 percent of all valentines are purchased by women. In addition to the United States, Valentine's Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia.

 

Valentine greetings were popular as far back as the Middle Ages (written Valentine's didn't begin to appear until after 1400), and the oldest known Valentine card is on display at the British Museum. The first commercial Valentine's Day greeting cards produced in the U.S. were created in the 1840s by Esther A. Howland. Howland, known as the Mother of the Valentine, made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as "scrap".

 

Sometimes the sweetest victory is found in simply overcoming the need to be right.

 

 

 

 

 

"Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom rail of a bridge and lean over to watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you, you will suddenly know everything there is to be known."

—Winnie-the-Pooh

The world only whispers her secrets to those who stand still and listen.That's the reason the only difference between "now" and "know" is one very silent letter.

 

 

不时地,只要你站在大桥横栏的底部,倾斜着观看河水在你身下缓缓流过,你便会恍然大悟所万事万物是如何被认识的.

 

世界只会把她的秘密悄悄地告诉那些坐正了聆听的人们.这就是为什么在"NOW"和"KNOW"之间唯一存在着的区别是一个不发音的字母(K).

 

 

 

 

 

  

现在,离终点不远了,

这样看来,我的人生也面临落幕.
我的朋友们,我将坦诚相见,

陈述既定的我的事.

 

我有一个完满的人生,

我曾踏遍每一条大道,

甚至远不止于此,

我用我的方式走我的路.

遗憾,当然有一点.

不过,很少被提及.

我只是做了我必须做的,

并坚持到底.

 

我曾规划每一条生命航程

并沿着此路谨慎前行,

但,远不止于此,

还有更多.

我用我的方式走我的路.

 

是的,多么美好的时光,

我确定你是了解的,

尽管我会感到力不从心时,

但我会坚持,

尽管也有疑惑

但我吃掉它并吐出来.

我一一面对并且用我的方式屹立其中.

我爱过,我笑过也哭过.

我已经满足了.

我失去的那一份.

如今,被泪水沉淀之后,

一切让我感到那么有趣.

 

回首来路

我可以说-我不曾畏缩

不,

噢,不,

那不是我.

我用我的方式走我的路.

 

人是什么?

什么是他拥有的?

 

如果失去他自己,

那么他将一无所有.

他真实地诉说感受

并且不是令人下跪的言语

记录显示我的殴打事件-
那只是我的方式!

 

 

 

 

 

一位国王要求其贤臣解释一个原理.贤明的反应是问国王,你如何将芒果的滋味传达给一个从未品尝过如此甜味的人?无论国王使出浑身懈数仍旧无法准确描述这水果的味道.最后以失败告终的王国追问贤明,那么,你告诉我,你将如何描述它?这位贤明拿起一个芒果并递交到国王手中说道,它很甜.尝尝吧!

 

A king asked a sage to explain the Truth. In response the sage asked the king how he would convey the taste of a mango to someone who had never eaten anything sweet. No matter how hard the king tried, he could not adequately describe the flavor of the fruit, and, in frustration, he demanded of the sage "Tell me then, how would you describe it?" The sage picked up a mango and handed it to the king saying "This is very sweet. Try eating it!"

 

There is a common saying in China that practice is the sole criterion for testing truth. When the sage say that "This is very sweet. Try eating it!", this is what we are talking about.

 

 

 

 

 

I believe every person has within themselves inexhaustible reserves of potential they have never even come close to realizing.

I believe each person has far more intelligence than they have ever used.

 

I believe each person is more creative than he or she has ever imagined.

 

I believe the greatest achievements of your life lie ahead of you.

 

I believe the happiest moments of your life are yet to come.

 

I believe the greatest successes you will ever attain are still waiting for you on the road ahead.

 

And, I believe through learning and application of what you learn, you can solve any problem, overcome any obstacle and achieve any goal that you can set for yourself.

 

 

 

 

You can say goodbye to the hostilities and grudges of the past that fester inside you, and keep you from surrendering to all that is life-affirming and new. You can embrace lightness and freedom. You can begin again. And what better time to start than now? Begin by dimming the lights or lighting a candle. Sit in a favorite spot or get cozy in your chair, and take a few deep breaths. Let us begin.

 

 

 

 

Listen to the meditation.

 

 

http://real21mt.audiovideoweb.com/ramgen/avwebmt1283/happynewyou.rm

 

 

Take a few deep breaths and allow your body to take in all the air that it needs. Imagine your entire body softening.  

 

Begin by thanking the divine for all the gifts in your life right now. Appreciating where we have been is a magical key to moving forward. Every situation and relationship from your past has taught you something useful, and has made you who you are today.

Now notice those things that have outlived their usefulness. What keeps you stuck? What stops you from living your deepest dreams? Recognize the obstacles to achieving the changes that you choose for your life. Begin to make mental notes of all of those things that you are ready to release.

 

Where are you still holding resentment toward another? Towards yourself?

 

Let all your fears, worries, doubts, disappointments, and anger surface in your mind... envision them as a muddy stream which flows out of you as you breathe. See yourself releasing old hurts, sadness, imbalance, and injustice in your life from the past and present. Feel them dissolving, pouring out of your body.

 

Just let them go. Release all the "should haves," "could haves," "if onlys." There are many layers to let go of, so for now, let go of those things that you are able to. Just let them go.

 

Now see what items, relationships or situations you have outgrown or that need to shift in some way. Take the time to express gratitude for the lessons learned, and then visualize them gently leaving or changing to promote your new reality.

 

As you free yourself from the past you open up space for fresh, honest relationships and exciting new opportunities to come into your life.

 

As the old energy flows out, experience a new lightness, feel a new power and vitality entering into your mind and body opening up space for compassion, for forgiveness, for health, for prosperity and success. Invite in those people who are able to respect and honor your growth and change.Dwell in this new space for a short time, opening your heart and expressing gratitude for the opportunity to grow and move forward. Honor and acknowledge yourself for the courage to clear house and let go.

 

Now imagine that you can breathe in the qualities that you need for this new part of your life. Breathe in courage to be true to yourself. Just breathe it in. Breathe in patience, discipline, spontaneity, anything that you feel would assist you in this new beginning. See yourself as strong and positive.

 

In your minds eye, picture what you would like to receive in your life and imagine yourself easily receiving these gifts. Feel yourself radiating with positive energy as you attract new people, ideas and situations.

 

See yourself joyful and content with this new reality.

 

Slowly begin to deepen your breaths. Gently move your fingers and toes. Gently begin to turn your head from side to side. Keeping your eyes closed, take three final deep breaths. When you are ready, you may open yours eyes. Many blessings for a "Happy New You!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Under the Mt. Fuji

 

 

 

Unluckily, the rainfall perversely came as snowflakes.

You was weep in silence...

Were you cold ?

I gave you a ragamuffinly clothes that eventually was wore a corsage .

Don't be afraid in the least degree,even if it had weathered.

Why did you always kept caring a pin for me?

I painstaking pitched on today to drive you home.

Forgive me, I could not sent flowers to you anymore .

The wound will eventually scar over.

 

Only leaves bespread heart's burial ground could be fearful .

If you wouldn't marry anyone besides me,

 

You and I must be cremated eventually.

Lifetime wait for a day requiring much expense .

Anyone have one pair of hands.

Even though you can rely on embrace,

 

It is hard to leave you to possess of it.

First msut be understand how to accept losing

 

Before having a dream to possess something.

At least, once we have looked aroung along the snowy road .

Then, Why did you pipe your eye for the good thing ?

Who can privately owned Fuji just depending on a gesture of affection ?

To assume, it come from your romance,

 

Be that as it may,

 

Never find its eye was contaminated in a test tube .

 

The past hardened as a stone.

You would scuttle away if you spontaneously abandon me .

I am not uncommon in the least.

Drove round the street and then I would crumble to dust.

Don't disclose Valentine's Day since I only dare to stroke your hair.

This gesture will be make you feel more sadder.

Stay in the car for warmth.

How should I advise you not to cut your wrist?

How long do we live can reckon short?

Then,the time of being disappointed in love is shorter.

Who would budget how far is it to return?

Unlearn the kind and enmity between you and I .

How many times are cherry blossoms in full blossom ?

For a fantastic trip to Tokyo,

 

 A early morning is farther from a century .

Clinged to embrace is also difficult to become your possession.

And if that's not enough,

 

I could present the ragamuffinly clothes with age to you

 

To unfasten incantation .

 

 

 

 

 

富士山下 

  

林夕

 

 

 

拦路雨偏似雪花
饮泣的你冻吗
这风褛我给你磨到有襟花
连调了职也不怕
怎么始终牵挂
苦心选中今天想车你回家
原谅我不再送花
伤口应要结疤
花瓣铺满心里坟场才害怕
如若你非我不嫁
彼此终必火化
一生一世等一天需要代价
谁都只得那双手
靠拥抱亦难任你拥有
要拥有必先懂失去怎接受
曾沿着雪路浪游
为何为好事泪流
谁能凭爱意要富士山私有
何不把悲哀感觉
假设是来自你虚构
试管里找不到它染污眼眸
前尘硬化像石头
随缘地抛下便逃走
我绝不罕有
往街里绕过一周
我便化乌有
情人节不要说穿
只敢抚你发端
这种姿态可会令你更心酸
留在汽车里取暖
应该怎么规劝
怎么可以将手腕忍痛划损
人活到几岁算短
失恋只有更短
归家需要几里路谁能预算
忘掉我跟你恩怨
樱花开了几转
东京之旅一早比一世遥远
靠拥抱亦难为你拥有
你还嫌不够
我把这陈年风褛
送赠你解咒