CARDINAL ESTATES — Not much attention has been paid as our iconic slogan, “Virginia is for Lovers,” celebrates 50 years.
Amid scandals from Richmond, some have even made fun of our slogan and said it should be “Virginia is for Losers.” I’ll admit I was having trouble finding the meaning of love as we approached Valentine’s Day this past month.
Nothing about love makes any sense. There are many types of love. There is the love of a parent for a child, of family members for one another, the love experienced in friendship and companionship. The list goes on and on.
There are books, dating web sites and many ways to find a mate these days. Though many marriages end in divorce, we do seem to keep getting married or, at least, getting into relationships. There are even books, therapists and other aids that mean to keep us together.
My son told me that he heard that the Ford Motor Company has even made a “smart” mattress that rolls your selfish partner back in place if they get too close to you.
Some people sleep better alone. I guess that it’s like the “stop bothering me” cry of every sibling on earth, and perhaps every person who has chosen another to spend his or her life with.
Why is it that “bothering” is a form of love?
My grandson took his mom, sister and her friend out to dinner on Valentine’s Day, and he asked that my son and I come along. It was a cold evening. I dressed warmly thinking that we would be standing out in the cold. To my surprise we managed to get inside to wait for a table.
Soon we were laughing, talking and, of course, the boys were teasing their sisters as we passed the time. The laughter continued as we ate.
I realized that the day wasn’t about the flowers, the chocolate or the jewelry but the laughter.
There is something about laughter that is contagious. It changes the atmosphere in the room. And causes others to automatically join in.
Ed. – The “lane keeping” bed by Ford seems to be a real thing, per The Daily Mail, though it is only a prototype. The newspaper reports Ford has no plans to market it.
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