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30 Days of Love: 23/30

Posted by Deborah Neisel-Sanders // February 10th 2013 // soundings, Stories and Voices // no comments

Let’s face it:  NOBODY likes Valentine’s Day.

It really sucks.  It’s so commercial and that’s hard if you’re broke.  It’s forced affection – what if you’ve just started dating someone new?  Or are in a relationship that isn’t going well – do you break up before and be the evil ex who ruined their Valentine’s Day?  Or try to creepily “fake” a celebration just to get past that one day?  And a lot of queer people have to worry about whether or not they and their sweetheart will be served in a restaurant or allowed on that boat cruise …

Now I’m an old married lady and I still don’t like it. The pressure!  It seems Valentine’s Day was built for a very specific kind of romance – jewelry-store ad kisses, Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts kissing in the snow, candy hearts demanding in all-caps “KISS ME.”

I’ve had it.  I’m ready to re-imagine Valentine’s Day!  A day when the justice of love can be celebrated.  A day when I can rejoice in gay couples receiving spousal military benefits and joint federal tax returns; when immigrant families get to stay together in the same country; when, if someone gets knocked down in hate or anger or pure ignorance, there’s someone right there to help pick them up. A day that’s not just sexy, but full of a passion even stronger: faith and hope.

That’s what today’s 30 Days of Love post is all about.  Turning Valentine’s Day into National Standing on the Side of Love Day will take work and today is a great day to start!  Talk to your congregation at service today.  Talk to your family over Sunday dinner. Talk to your youth group that meets tonight.  Get this great idea going!

Because while NOBODY likes Valentine’s Day, everyone will absolutely L-U-V Standing on the Side of Love Day.

 

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February 10, 2013. Take action on National SSL day.

National Standing on the Side of Love Day Worship Packet

Standing on the Side of Love Small Group Discussion Guide

Multigenerational Resources for Congregational Worship, Reflection, and Action

 

About the Author

Deborah Neisel-Sanders is the Office Administrator for the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries. She can be reached at dsanders@uua.org.
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