38. Valentine’s Day

Props: Preferably enlarged Calvin and Hobbes Valentine cartoon, A4 picture of brain in jar (see Google!), prepared Valentine cards, one for each child.

Does anyone know what is special about next Tuesday? Yes, it is Valentine’s Day. And what happens on Valentine’s Day? Are any of you sending a card to someone special? I always go out to the letter box on Valentine’s Day. It is fun receiving a pile of Valentine cards from beautiful ladies around the world, telling me that how much they love and appreciate me! (Actually, it hasn’t happened yet, but I’m hopeful for this year.)

In this Calvin and Hobbes cartoon, Calvin says, ‘I’m writing a Valentine’s card for Susie Perkins.’ Hobbes smiles and says,‘That’s nice. She’s a cutie.’ Then Calvin says, ‘See, I’m making a big heart, and putting lace around it.’ Hobbes answers, ‘I’m sure she will be very pleased.’ And Calvin writes: Susie. I hate you. Drop dead. Calvin.

I don’t think Calvin has the right idea at all!

Last week I said that Mrs S was the best wife in all the world. It’s true too. But just between you and me, Mrs S does have one or two funny ideas. Let me tell you a story. Last week I was in the city looking at Valentine cards. They are easy to spot: whole racks of cards covered in red hearts. Now suppose I bought one of these cards, and wrote inside: To my dearest sweetie-pie (or whatever it is that young lovers write these days), and then write: I love you with all my heart, then Mrs S would very likely tell me off. In a gentle way of course, as befits the world’s best wife, she would say, ‘You know that the heart is just an organ that pumps blood around the body. What you mean is, I love you with all my mind.’

Well, perhaps she’s right. But this means I have to rethink my ideas on Valentines cards. Perhaps I should try to find one that looks like this:

I could write Happy Valentine across the top in red – it might look quite good! Well, I didn’t find any cards like this; I don’t think the idea has caught on yet.

In the Bible (Matt 22:37), it says that the first and greatest commandment is that we should love the Lord our God with all our heart and all our soul and all our mind. That should please everybody! And I thought it would be nice if I gave you each one of these cards (describe), and if you really love God (which I hope you do), you could sign the card, and on Valentine’s Day you could place the card on the mantle piece, or on your bedroom dresser. I’m sure God would be very pleased!