My Bloody Valentine By Rhonda Hansome

♫ I wish you bluebirds in the spring to give your heart a song to sing and then a kiss, but more than this I wish you love🎜

Today I learned that Valentine's Day may have an origin even bloodier than the eponymous Chicago massacre.

If the internet is to be believed, Lupercalia was an ancient Roman mid - Februrary festival honoring the she-wolf who nurtured the abandonded twins, Romulus & Remus.         The ritual began with Luperci (a sect of Roman priests) sacrificing goats (representing sexuality) AND a dog. The sacrificial blood was then smeared on the foreheads of naked Luperci. After the blood was removed with milk soaked wool, feasting ensued.

And Then...

Weilding strips of the sacrificial goat hide, naked Luperci ran through the public square whipping women; who exposed their skin to receive their fertility anointing.

 But Wait There's More!

Men randomly chose from a jar the name of a woman to be coupled with for the duration of the festival. Some actually fell in love and married.

🎜I wish you shelter from the storm

A cozy fire to keep you warm

Most of all when snowflakes fall

I wish you love 🎝

Valentine's Day is a commercial holiday with romantic pretensions and a sanguine provenance, without even mentioning those named Valentine, executed by Roman Emperor Claudius II.

🎜Love is strange🎝

If you are reading this please leave a comment.

I wish you the best Valentine's Day, remembering even if you're alone, you can always...

🎜Love the one you're with🎝

Rhonda Hansome is a comic, actor, director, story teller and coach. She frequently appears on webseries, podcasts and radio shows. Hear her every Monday, noon - 2, on John Fugelsang's SiriusXM Insight show Tell Me Everything. 7 AM Fri. Feb. 15th, catch Rhonda on WBAI FM 99.5 on Waking Up With Julianna Forlano.