We are coming up on St. Valentine’s Day. It’s the day that grocery stores have extra flowers shipped in to accommodate shoppers who rush to the store to pick up a last minute bouquet or box of chocolates to express their feigned thoughtfulness.
It is also a time when there really are genuine gestures of love through romantic dinners and meaningful gifts. The best gifts of all are cards. I have always believed that the whole concept of sending cards is magnificent. Regardless of whether a card is a dollar store purchase or an original creation, it is an act of genuine thoughtfulness to get one or write one out and mail it to someone. The best cards of all are the ones the kids make for you at school.
All in all, even at my old age and the sieges of life that I have been through; I can still say that I enjoy the idea of St. Valentine’s Day. I like the whole idea of saints, all manner of saints.
My favourite is St. Christopher. There are many legends that refer to him. The one most meaningful to me is where St. Christopher is a helper for travelers who must cross a river at its most dangerous point. The legend describes how even the strongest among us need guidance to cross the river and the weakest among us need to be carried. We learn that spiritual faith is the ticket we need to receive St. Christopher’s guidance and his strength to carry us. Regardless of your faith, the symbolism is beautiful.
St. Joseph is frequently mentioned in our business. I have often heard that St. Joseph is the saint for real estate sales representatives and brokers. Some stories about this saint seem absurd to me, such as burying a statue of St. Joseph in the front lawn of a property to compel its sale. The most comforting legend of St. Joseph is the story that he is a carpenter who built and arranged homes for others. It is the latter story that moves me the most.
Mary Magdalene has been named a saint in a number of religions and is named as a patron for a number of causes, in particular those of redemption. I cannot think of anyone who would not be endeared to St. Mary Magdalene as we all have so much that we must make better or redeem.
The best part about all the saints is that they run the gamut of every religion in the world. All duly recognize elevated persons or saints within their community of faith no matter what label they run under, no matter what church, temple or mosque they worship. Every saint is a person to aspire to or a spirit to turn to for help.
The coolest thing about saints is that they simply endure. Some organized religions declare saints and sainthoods official. Some religions pick and choose saints like a hand from a deck of playing cards. St. Christopher and St. Joseph, for example, have been declared official and unofficial for years. Last I looked they were both declared unofficial in 1969. Yet they endure.
Regardless of the faith or religion or walk of life, the connotation of the word “saint” is significant. If we want to pay a person the highest compliment we can think of, even in business, we say that person is a “real saint”.
We use expressions like “saints preserve us” and may the “saints be with you”.
In many countries around the world from Lebanon to Germany to Ireland, even in specific cities such as New Orleans, there is an “all saints day” when flowers and candles are brought to the grave sites of cherished relatives. It is not uncommon to hear sons and daughters refer to their dear “sainted mother” or “sainted father”.
You don’t have to follow a certain religion or attend a particular house of worship to incur the word saint. You just have to be a person who understands and respects the ideal of goodness.
We are all taught that in business and in life it is not what you achieve but how you achieve it that makes your mark. It is the example of our conduct that reflects who we are among those who know us only by reputation.
I am often reminded that we can’t all be saints but we can all aspire to be like them. Heaven knows I’d like to try.
Heino Molls is publisher of REM. Email [email protected].
