On this Valentine's Day, Give from the Heart

We have visions of cupid and roses on Valentine’s Day, which has come to celebrate romantic love over the centuries. But the man for which the holiday is dedicated was a religious martyr.

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The story of his life states that Valentine—later Saint Valentine—was placed under house arrest in Italy (then Rome) for evangelizing the Christian faith. He continued to discuss Jesus with the judge, who put Valentine to the test: Restore the sight of the judge’s daughter. Valentine placed his hands over her eyes, and she could see. The judge converted to Christianity.

Valentine was later arrested again for evangelizing and this time taken to the Roman Emperor. Now face-to-face with the leader, Valentine tried to get him to embrace Christianity. But the Emperor ordered Valentine to renounce his faith or be beaten and beheaded. Valentine would not, so he was executed.

An embellishment from the story states that before his execution, Valentine wrote a note to that daughter of the judge and signed it “from your Valentine.”

Perhaps because there is no shortage of saints who were martyred, our culture has embraced a romantic angle in this particular story. But Valentine’s example is about another kind of love and dedication—having the heart to hold to his truth and giving from the heart in his service to others.

I think most of us would agree these are ideals of ours as well.
So let’s use today as an occasion to live up to them.
Opportunities are endless.

On this incredibly frigid day (at least here in Minnesota), I think back to two years ago when going out with the MADDADS. They took me along on their nightly route offering care packages and community services to the homeless on that cold, dark winter’s night: . And this is just one arm of the work of MADDADS, better known for their violence prevention outreach in Minneapolis communities—mentoring youth, holding vigils for those murdered, and consoling grieving family. (MADDADS: http://minneapolismaddads.org/)

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Today I also think about the dropping temperature throughout that fall of 2018 when I documented “The Wall” Native American encampment. Natives Against Heroin led the efforts to keep that camp safe. And since then, Bradley Harrington founded the viral online group Sober Squad (https://www.facebook.com/groups/SoberSquad2016), where every day thousands celebrate each other’s sober anniversaries and support each other’s efforts at a life of recovery.

These are some groups and individuals we at The Periphery Foundation support.

For our part, we continue to use proceeds from our videos to help the causes and the people featured in them—most recently, Carrie from West Virginia (brand new video here: )

We’re also putting the finishing touches on our website. It will display the projects we’re doing and connect these efforts to a world of those willing to help with them. We look forward to announcing when it goes live and to how others would like to get involved—whether with ideas for projects, services you can offer, or a donation you’d like to make.

Screenshot:

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Until then, feel free to reach out anytime and consider “giving from the heart” today with a donation to any of the groups mentioned above or a group or cause of your choosing.

We on The Periphery Foundation board wish you all a Happy Valentine’s Day 2021.

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