Happy Early Valentine's Day

Why all the fuss? Granted, I am relying on information from a board book (we didn't cover Valentine in my Christian History courses at Duke -- gasp -- and I try not to e-search while writing) that summarizes the story in about 10 cardboard pages and culminates in the general tone of most Christian children's literature: We are God's children and we are to love one another. The final picture: kids at a soccer game. Though I've never been to a kids' soccer game, I imagine loving one another is not top on the list of coaches' objectives. Anyway, how did a medieval monk who was gracious to people living under a tyrant king become the inspiration for a romance and chocolate soaked holiday in the middle of the winter? Apparently Valentine helped people get to the alter when there was in place a prohibition on marriage (to gird up the king's army). But how did that become license to shroud the marketplace in pink hearts? You can't beat it for its convenience. We are sick of winter, Christmas and New Year's are a year ago it seems, and looming ahead is Lent. But it still feels like a pretty big jump. Don't get me wrong: I love the chocolate and the excuse to make frosting in colors I would never wear. I even like making things to send to family and friends. But this morning we cut out 18 hearts per child for each of their friends at New Morning and this afternoon they painted in shades of purple and pink and cut out more hearts at Art class. Would we go through this trouble for, say, St. Francis?