
…And the greatest is LOVE

Of all of the human emotions, LOVE is the greatest bringing us joy, happiness, connections, families, relationships, friendships, bonds, affections, hugs, and so much more!
As the song mentions, “It’s love that makes the world go round!” Where would we be without LOVE?
Sunday, February 14th is Valentine’s Day. Annually, we celebrate Valentine’s Day and express our LOVE to loved ones/“valentines” by exchanging cards, candy and/or flowers. (Many of us would agree that chocolate is the best!)
St. Valentine’s Day is named for Christian martyrs (St. Valentine) and dates back to the 5th century; there are multiple stories. It was replaced with the Roman holiday Lupercalia. According to Wikipedia:
Lupercalia was an ancient, possibly pre-Roman pastoral annual festival, observed in the city of Rome from the 13th to the 15th of February to avert evil spirits and purify the city, releasing health and fertility. Lupercalia was also called dies Februatus, after the instruments of purification called februa, which gave February (Februarius) its name.
As a samurai woman, I believe that love is connected to the bushido code of benevolence. I wrote in my book, “Let the Samurai Be Your Guide:”
Benevolence is the disposition to show respect under all circumstances. It embraces a universal retard toward mankind; a tendency toward good; to be conscious of others’ distress with a desire to alleviate it.
Jin – Benevolence
Kanji character
The two characters are significant. The character on the left is people, and the character on the right is two; thus meaning two people! We are sependent/interdependent on others, and need each other. LOVE and benevolence are compatible. From benevolence, we express LOVE.
Benevolence was practiced by the samurai. They were fierce warriors yet showed benevolence to others, their masters, lords, and/or daimyos, and allowed their defeated foes to die with honor. The samurai were scholars, poets, and painters exercising the right brain where emotions are developed and expressed.
Let this Valentine’s Day be special for you. Even though we are restricted to gathering sizes, there are many ways LOVE, feelings and sentiments can be expressed. We can still send cards, gifts, and/or flowers. With the advancement of technology, we can call, Face time, or Zoom to stay in touch with our ‘valentines’ face-to-face in other parts of the world.
One of my mentors, the Late Brian Klemmer quoted:
“When the intention is clear, the mechanism appears.”
It is my desire for you to be creative and make this Valentine’s Day special and memorable. It could be an opportunity to reach out to friends and family to express your thoughts, feelings, and LOVE in a unique way!
Happy Valentine’s Day!

Lori Whaley
TEDx Speaker | International Best-Selling Author | Life Coach
www.LoriWhaley.com
about
Lori Whaley
Lori Tsugawa Whaley is a motivational and inspirational speaker, international best selling author and life coach. Using her engaging, passionate, and captivating style, Lori leads her audience to examine their own dreams and goals.
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