I took myself to the movies on Saturday, and saw The Third Man [1], a British film noir masterpiece, and it put me in the best mood. And still this morning I breezed into my car with lifted spirits. Even the jerk that cut me off from the right lane couldn’t sour me. I turned on NPR, and the host announced that in honor of Valentines Day, he’d be featuring conversations about love, EVERY day this week. Not that there’s anything wrong with love, but does it have to be for a whole week?
I began to fidget. First up, biological anthropologist Helen Fisher [2], who is also “Chief Scientific Advisor” to the dating site, Chemistry.com (where a friend recently met a fantastic man). Fisher has written numerous books [3] on the nature of attraction, and started the interview talking about finding an appropriate mate as “LIFE’S GREATEST PRIZE.” Gulp. I sank down in my seat. This is exactly the kind of talk that could make me think I’m a loser. It’s a good thing I’m still basking in the glow of great art, and besides, I’ve got a bag of quotes precisely for the occasion. I reach for one from Abraham Joshua Heschel [4], the brilliant theologian and social activist, who said, “I did not ask for success, I asked for wonder.”
Why It’s Great to Be Single on Valentines Day [5], reason #5 from Matty [6]:
You can stay clear of this: http://www.valentinesdaymovie.com/ [7]