I know I know, Valentines Day. A day of suffering for many folks. This manufactured event for commercial gain has created a lot of stress. First, God help you if you forget. Then, for some, it is automatically following the ritual of card/roses/candy and having no real connection to why they are doing this other than it will be hurtful not to. For others, the pressure to continually top the previous years’ feats of demonstrating the strength of their love or ability to be romantic. And for those who find themselves unattached on this day, trying to ignore all the reminders that they are supposed to be in relationship.
And then comes a nice reminder from 5000+ years ago from a town mentioned in Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet“. Check this out:
ROME (Reuters) – Call it the eternal embrace.
Archaeologists in Italy have discovered a couple buried 5,000 to 6,000 years ago, hugging each other. “It’s an extraordinary case,” said Elena Menotti, who led the team on their dig near the northern city of Mantova.
“There has not been a double burial found in the Neolithic period, much less two people hugging — and they really are hugging.”
Menotti said she believed the two, almost certainly a man and a woman although that needs to be confirmed, died young because their teeth were mostly intact and not worn down.
“I must say that when we discovered it, we all became very excited. I’ve been doing this job for 25 years. I’ve done digs at Pompeii, all the famous sites,” she told Reuters.
“But I’ve never been so moved because this is the discovery of something special.”
Now that is romantic! It is a touching gift from the past. So here’s to looking past the red cardboard heart-shaped boxes and pink-everythings.
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