Java Talk: 02/13/12

If you cannot inspire a woman with love of you, fill her above the brim with love of herself; all that runs over will be yours. -Charles Caleb Colton

What we do for love. We invented the word "eros" to describe carnal love, and "agape" to mean a spiritual love. Many of the first marriages were by capture not choice! An Old French custom tells us that as the moon goes through all it's phases a couple should drink a brew called metheglin, which is made from honey. Hence, we get the word, Honeymoon. In 1228, women first gained the right to propose marriage.

Personally, I think the Victorians had it right. Once they had been formally introduced, if the gentleman wished to escort the lady home he would present his card to her. At the end of the evening the lady would look over her options and choose who would be her escort. She would notify the lucky gentleman by giving him her own card. As a friend has reminded me often - "Men display, women choose."

In 18th. century Europe a biscuit was broke over the head of the bride as she emerged from the church. Unmarried guests scrambled for the pieces, which they then placed under their pillows to bring dreams of the one they would someday marry. This was believed to be the precursor of the wedding cake. I'm guessing - bed bugs as well.

There are many ways to find love, cultivate it, and surrender to it. There are countless ways to exclaim it! And claim it. One way is with a lock.

Attaching a love lock to a bridge and throwing away the key is one way to profess your love.

The story goes, that if a couple writes their names on a padlock, locks it onto a bridge and throws away the key, their love will endure for all eternity.

This activity is most common in Paris. They started appearing in Europe in 2000.

The stories that must go with each and every lock!

In Rome, the ritual of affixing love padlocks to the bridge Ponte Milvio can be attributed to the bookI Want You.

Similarly, an attribution for the bridge Most Ljubavi - Bridge of Love - now named after the love padlocks in Serbia exists, where they can be traced to even before World War II.

In many countries the local authorities and owners of various landmarks have expressed concern and even tried to have the padlocks removed.

In Paris: "They raise problems for the preservation of our architectural heritage."

In Canada: "The locks are considered a distraction from nature."

In Italy, 5,500 love padlocks affixed to the Ponte Vecchio bridge were removed by the city council. According to the council the padlocks both pose an aesthetic problem as well as scratch and dent the metal of the bridge.

In Taiwan, love padlocks attached to an overpass at the city's train station are often connected in pairs. These locks are known as "wish locks" and local legend says that the magnetic field produced by trains passing underneath will cause energy to accumulate in the locks and fulfill the wishes.

On a fountain in Uruguay: "The legend of this fountain tells us that if a lock with the initials of two people in love is placed in it, they will return together to the fountain and their love will be forever locked.

What do you think? Is it vandalism? Do we need more of this type of display of love? I think ... structures should be erected in which the locks can be placed, so as not to damage or weaken an existing structure.

Love letters is another way we express our love. From a collection of real love letter...

Lover,

I talk to much and I lie all the time. I don't blame you for not believing me. I don't blame you for anything. My broken heart I can survive, but for your broken heart I will never forgive myself.

I still have your t-shirt with the hole in it. I still laugh at your jokes.

I wish you were here to proof read this for me.

I love you, it’s not worth much but its true.

flowers from my son

Dear Mom,

I am very sorry that you hurt your arm. I have hid some chocolate eggs in your room. If you have not gotten them please wait until we are all there. I promise to help you a lot this week. I hope your arm gets better quickly. You are the best mom in the whole wide world. Once again I hope your arm gets better soon. Even if something goes wrong (even though nothing will go wrong) I will be your left arm until I die. :) You are the best mom and I would never trade you for any one. I love you with all my heart. I am so sorry you hurt your arm and I hope it gets better.