With great deference to Sammy Fain and Paul Francis Webster who wrote the song for the 1955 film that bears the title of this commentary, love is a many-splendored thing speaks of love as a complex and beautiful emotion; a multifaceted expression filled with magnificent qualities. It seemed very apropos for this Valentine’s Day.
I’m sure everyone has been (and still is planning to) celebrate this special day with the one you love. Last year, Valentine’s Day was part of the special firsts I would experience after my beloved passed away; one in a series of steps that began a journey of healing and renewal. And although I still plan to celebrate Valentines in the manner I did back then, this time it will be with a heart that is lighter in grief and more substantial in love.
But in 2025, the notion of love has expanded (by choice or circumstance) to include a love of country. I won’t call it patriotism, as that tends to shift the mind from a notion of love to that of loyalty or nationalistic pride. And although there is nothing wrong with such sentiments, they’re reserved for that day in July when we celebrate how we feel about our nation. But for today, it’s about the love one has for the very entity that makes us a country; the very heart of a nation, if you will: We, the people.
So on this Valentine’s day, I wanted to share two things: My thoughts on love written last year for my beloved in her journal. Every word of that affirmation is still at the very heart of a love declared for a lifetime. The other is a segment from a commentary written last year about the essence of leadership. Why leadership? Because in this writer’s humble opinion, a leader (regardless of circumstance) has to possess an intrinsic love for people. For that love represents the duty, burden and respect leaders inherently need in order to guide others through a task, a project or an emblematic voyage of discovery. I thought it fitting to share today in the hope that it may rekindle that aspect of love that may be feeling a bit disregarded or shunned these days.
Have a wonderful, loving and transformative Valentine’s Day.
About Love…
This occasion is testament of love that has its roots in every part of my being. For though the eyes may see the world in its entirety, the beauty of love is something that eyes alone cannot do justice. They require a heart to better understand its depth, a spirit to capture the miracle of a single embrace, and the innocence of an open mind to recognize every fragment of its wonderment. Throughout the years, your love has supplied the fruit of life’s endless treasures, and through you I received some of the most amazing gifts I could ever dare to imagine. You showed me that the greatest power we possess is the wonder that resides within us, and that to deny it is life’s greatest sin. You showed me the treasure to be found in patience, and how to recognize God’s greatest miracles within every aspect of nature. You regaled me with love and laughter every day of our lives through the simple act of being yourself. You helped me to rediscover that the beauty of music doesn’t lie in its notes but in how you’re willing to interpret its song with abandon. You opened my eyes so I could see art for the first time. To look beyond the paints, perspectives, or grandiosity to recognize the artist’s courage, passion or madness in revealing the world. Not just as it was, but as it should be beyond the follies of repressed minds or darkened hearts. You made me appreciate a world that I had often seen but seldom understood by teaching me to open my heart before engaging my mind. You reawakened in me the lust for life and the passion to live it; the courage to dream and the determination to make each a reality. You showed me who I really am and taught me how to love what I saw, warts and all. And even in the few days before you passed away, you reminded me that nothing ever dies; it merely transcends. That the greatest gift we have is the love we shared throughout the years, and how it will continue to provide strength and comfort through all the rest of my days. For love is energy, and energy is eternal. Happy Valentine’s Day, my angel; with love forevermore.
About Leadership…
A leader’s primary skill or talent is that of insight. They must be willing to look within before seeking out. They must recognize that they’re not above the struggle, but a part of it. That they understand that limitations are not obstacles, but rather a gauge for measuring creativity and capability. Leaders know how to extend their reach through the art of collaboration, and not through the sheer exercise of power. Leaders must always remember that it’s the people who possess the capacity to create or tear down either through innovations or inadequacies and thus must know when to guide and when to yield. Leadership is captivating through wisdom and courage, and powerful through love, humility and foresight. Leaders are neither saints nor saviors, nor are they a cure for the misfortunes of the world. Any leader who thinks otherwise will most likely be the cause rather than the solution and should never be allowed to persuade or influence. The act of leadership is nothing more than a personal commitment to excel in the art meaningful collaboration. They are innovators of progress, architects of reason and educators who aim to enlighten. They understand that power comes from being a benefit to others beyond themselves and are able to recognize opportunities even in the darkest of times that may help to build a brighter future for all.
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