FEBRUARY 14: A DAY TO ACTIVELY CONNECT

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY EVERYONE! The history of Valentine’s Day (originally St. Valentine’s Day, a Roman Catholic feast day) is fairly fuzzy with regard to how this day came to be, probably coincidentally, named to honor romantic love.
 
According to an item by Fr. William Saunders on catholiceducation.org, the “popular customs of showing love and affection on St Valentine’s Day” may have come about because of a “common belief in England and France” from the Medieval Age that “birds began to pair” on February 14 “’halfway through the second month of the year’”. Since the martyred saint’s feast day fell on that date the association may have formed.
 
In modern times, it is often different things to different people. For young couples, it may be mostly about love and romance. For school children, it can be about sending and receiving paper cards at classroom parties. It’s a big day for marriage engagements and potentially an opportunity for singles to meet a future significant other. Sadly, it can be a day of high expectations in which some more sharply feel less loved (haven’t we all experienced this?).
 
In the world of running, walking, and fitness this secular holiday can be used to mark a special workout of a training plan, schedule a preparatory effort for a future more challenging competition, or enjoy a themed race.  THERE’S NO ROOM to feel left out or less loved when you are one in this globe-full of people using exercise to observe a traditional holiday.
 
Holidays are made for celebrating. We can accomplish this traditionally with food, drink, prayers, commemorations, dances, parades, and decorations. However, it seems like walks, runs, bicycle trips, and even swims, are being added as active ways to enjoy special dates. And more and more commonly, culturally specific holidays are being adopted by outsiders as a way to appreciate and better understand the ways of others. Expatriates are encouraged to keep their own as well as the country of residence' holidays  in an article by Scott Rousseau for InterNations.com as a way to stay connected with home and to form connections while away.

Pin on an Earned Runs or other organized competition bib today and race. Or just get your athletic shoes on and actively enjoy, coincidentally, this day in mid-February AND LOVE THE MOVEMENT.
 
RUN & MOVE HAPPY!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Valentine

http://www.catholiceducation.org/en/culture/catholic-contributions/history-of-st-valentine.html
 
https://www.internations.org/magazine/observing-holidays-and-traditions-abroad-16216/the-importance-of-celebrating-your-traditions-as-an-expat-2