Valentine's Day

Yes, many disparage the day as another date on the calendar when business encourages us to waste money. Yet, it can be a day to show, especially, the love you feel for one another as human beings.
In Ancient Greece, the Greeks spoke of:

 Éros is the sensual love and desire, romantic love we feel for a boyfriend, girlfriend or spouse.

Philia is the brotherly/sisterly love we feel for our friends and family. It means friendship in modern Greek.

Agápe is the unconditional love we can feel for humanity and human kind, used in ancient texts to denote feelings for a good meal, one's children, and the feelings for a spouse.

In elementary school, there was often much jeering and teasing around the issue of sexual proclivities, and I tried to direct our attitudes and discussions towards another direction: the Ethic of Reciprocity.


In the good old days, we called this The Golden Rule, yet this notion crosses many faiths, and is discussed in many of them in official teachings. More politically correct to refer to the Ethic of Reciprocity. It is discussed in the philosophies of ancient India, Greece, Judea and China. It exists in both positive ('Do to others what you would like to be done to you') and negative forms ('Do not do to others what you would not like to be done to you').

To my mind, this is a day upon which to reflect what you have done for others, not for yourself, if you at all doubt your purpose in this world. This is the day, in my classrooms, when we would talk about these types of love.

In my classrooms we would celebrate Random Acts of Kindness week. In this way, we turned our attitudes around not towards, what are you going to do for me, but what will I do for others?

I have lauded those in Muskoka who continue to work hard on behalf of others. Our citizens perform these acts in many venues:

• the local church ladies, 
• the S.T.O.P. folks on the snowmobile trails,

• Volunteers in Muskoka who garden,  
• Meals on Wheels,
• Victim Services,  
• Hospice, which offer opportunities to give back to one's community. 

Muskoka Lakes had a big ceremony to recognize some of its volunteers: Working for a living! 

In my post, Live~Love~Laugh I wrote about those who volunteer at Hospice Muskoka. For, not only do these people receive training, attend updating seminars, and take courses, but they have to fundraise, as well. The photos are from the celebratory Gala, Grace and Glorie, as wellas Inn at the Falls, in Gravenhurst. We stayed there overnight.

I just want to thank everyone who worked so hard to make the Gala, and the show, such a success.
The food was wonderful, so nice not to have to cook! We stayed overnight at Inn at the Falls, another treat (on points)!!!

We are so glad to have been able to support our Hospice by buying tickets.

The actors were wonderful.
And the show really hit home with me. My current client listens and loves as much as she receives from me. It is a privilege to do this kind of work. So glad to be retired!

Muskoka people work so hard in the area of health care. Between the services of people like Karen Boyer, with her Caregiver Support Groups, and organizations like Hospice, we are glad to be spending our golden years here!