I am one of the luckiest men in the world in that I met the woman who I knew would become my wife when I was very young, back in my home country of Haiti. We are proof that love knows no barriers, and I thank God for every day that he allows me to spend with her.

I know of a lot of guys who are in relationships think that Valentine’s Day is for fools. They liken it to partying on New Year’s Eve, as though it's no big deal; it's just a party, and they can party any time during the year.

Of course, they love their significant other every day of the year, but it’s important to make a display of that love to make it special and show how important our loved ones are to us.

And Valentine’s Day is the perfect time for it.

The History

Most of you know Valentine’s Day was named for St. Valentine, but what do you know about the man himself?

There are at least three men who lived in the third century with the name of Valentine who all went on to sainthood. Scholars say their stories likely overlap, and while Valentine’s Day is named in honor of St. Valentine of Rome, the stories told about him may have happened to others.

St. Valentine's Fate

St. Valentine of Rome became a martyr when the anti-Christian Emperor Claudius II beheaded him. His crime was helping Roman soldiers get married when they were forbidden to wed. Another story says that Valentine tried to convert Claudius II to Christianity, and this is why Claudius II decapitated him. We’ll likely never know the exact reason for his beheading.

St. Valentine's Day

Years later, Pope Gelasius dedicated February 14th to St. Valentine and chose that date to replace the pagan festival known as Lupercalia, which focused on fertility rituals. The church looked down on the festival, but with a nod or a pass to it, and named St. Valentine the saint of lovers. Throughout the centuries, mainly because of the poetry of Geoffrey Chaucer and the works of Shakespeare (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Valentine’s Day started to take shape as the “Day of Love” we celebrate now.

The Card-Giving Ritual

There is some proof people sent each other heart-shaped love notes in the 19th century. The process of sending cards on Valentine's Day, however, took off early in the 20th century as companies like Hallmark began to put an emphasis on it.

Today

Valentine's Day is celebrated these days with cards and chocolate and special dinners, all to celebrate romantic love. You can be like those guys who wait until February 17 or March 29 or sometime in the middle of summer to buy your lady flowers and take her out to a nice dinner; or you can showcase your love on Valentine’s Day—on a single, important day set aside to reaffirm your love.

Sure, you can lament that the greeting card companies have turned Valentine's Day into something commercial, but it’s still important to show the person you love how they are the center of your life.

Plus, you don’t want to end up in the dog house, do you?

If you're lucky enough to have a relationship with someone who is tremendously important to you, do something special for him/her this Valentine’s Day. Show the extent of your love on the day set aside to share.