It’s Valentine’s Day and that means many different things to many different people. A nonsense commercialised day? An opportunity to be brave and drop a cheeky message to someone you love/fancy/want to get all frisky with? An evening where an impromptu table booking is impossible?
Today many people get engaged, which in turn leads to marriage. And marriage is a many complex thing – to be celebrated as such!
So on St Valentine’s Day let me share this brilliant quote – spoken by Tina Modotti – an Italian photographer and political activist who declared the following words at Frida Kahlo’s marriage to Diego Rivera – a relationship as complex, contradictory and often controversial as it was perfect for them. (As you read, note how EVERYTHING is in that second ‘but’)
Tina Modotti: “I don’t believe in marriage. No, I really don’t. Let me be clear about that. I think at worst it’s a hostile political act, a way for small-minded men to keep women in the house and out of the way, wrapped up in the guise of tradition and conservative religious nonsense. At best, it’s a happy delusion – these two people who truly love each other and have no idea how truly miserable they’re about to make each other. But, but, when two people know that, and they decide with eyes wide open to face each other and get married anyway, then I don’t think it’s conservative or delusional. I think it’s radical and courageous and very romantic. To Diego and Frida.” So, whatever your feelings about Valentine’s Day remember that for each of us, everything is about context and intent and that ultimately celebrating love – however you damn wish – is a many splendid thing.
