Happy Valentine’s Day.  This morning I was wandering in my church bookstore which is a small, quaint space thoughtfully stocked with great books, cards, and gifts.  I picked up a card with a heart on it that said, “Fall in love. Stay in love.  It will decide everything.”  The quote was attributed to Pedro Arrupe, S. J. (1907-1991), born in the Basque country of Spain.  On the inside is the entire poem from which the quote comes.  It touched me in its depth,  certitude and simplicity…no waffling or uncertainty of the power of this thing we call love.  Here is the poem for Valentine’s:

Nothing is more practical than finding God,

that is, than falling in love

in a quite absolute, final way.

 

What you are in love with,

what seizes your imagination,

will affect everything.

It will decide

what will get you out of bed in the morning,

what you will do with your evenings,

how you spend your weekends,

what you read,

who you know,

what breaks your heart,

and what amazes you with joy and gratitude.

 

Fall in love,

stay in love,

and it will decide everything.

Happy Valentine’s.  May you be blessed by this mystery named Love.