Our Pickwick, always at his post…

...inspired by Dickens' “Pickwick Papers.”

This blog is dedicated mostly to the posting of essays, stories and musings, in order for me to improve my skills as a writer.

Showing posts with label Valentines Day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Valentines Day. Show all posts

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Valentine's Day

Valentine’s Day; it’s the holiday every single dreads. It’s bad enough that couples celebrate anniversaries every other day of the week, but on top of everything else they had to make it a national holiday.


It’s a corporate holiday that encourages me to empty my bank account for my significant other. I'm not celebrating it per se, but will be taking my significant other out for dinner the weekend before for funsies,” said Whitworth senior John Hawkins.

“It’s the holiday you don’t want to be alone on…and there’s always the expectation of having to get something,” says transfer Student Brie Geffre.

Geffre’s Valentine’s was saved however, when she received a care package from her friend filled with cupcake making goodies. Forget having a “ring by spring”, what could possibly be better than chocolate?

For those of you who are unfamiliar with traditions at Whitworth, the term “ring by spring” holds a certain importance on campus. Like any private school Whitworth has its traditions. The “Little Three” are specific tasks students need to complete before graduation:

1) Drop a tray in “Saga” a.k.a. the dining hall

2) Catch a virgin pinecone (before it hits the ground)

3) “Ring by Spring”-get engaged

These are of course unwritten rules and not taken very seriously.

“Ring by spring is actually not a very popular tradition at Whitworth, as most people don't allow themselves to get pressured into marriage, although we think others will. It's for those who've been in a long term relationship at Whitworth,” said Hawkins.

Thankfully Whitworth is providing a fun alternative event for those of us who would rather not put too much emphasis on celebrating the holiday. The dormitories Mac and Ballard are putting together an “Awkward Middle School Dance” in McMillan Hall.

According to the Facebook invite students will dress up in flavorful middle-school attire and “dine on root-beer floats and dance the night away to your favorite heart-throbbing boy-bands…When else will you get to sport that Abercrombie polo, or sparkle smuckers again?”

“Overall, Valentine’s Day is what you make it,” said junior Chris Frick.

For more info please visit:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=185867381447428
http://www.whitworthian.com/special-features/women/ring-by-spring-culture-limits-identity-1.1737720

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Walking in Love

"The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.”(i)

Hollywood stresses the importance of falling in love, but it fails to provide a proper example of what love is. The secular world view of love is insecure in that it has no foundation to build upon. In the world's eyes love can mean any number of things; it can be found in a committed relationship or sometimes just for the night. When love is based solely on romance and whimsical feelings, it fades with the change of emotions.

One of my favorite descriptions of love says: “Love never gives up. Love cares for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have…love puts up with anything, trusts God always, always kooks for the best, never looks back, but keeps going to the end.”(ii). That kind of love just described can only be experienced by modeling Christ’s example.

Hollywood tells us that we need to fall in love, but God tells us that we need walk in love. Walking in love means putting your needs aside for the other person. Do unto others as you would have them do to you.(iii) “It’s simple and yet it encompasses every facet of a relationship.”(iv) Showing someone you love them means walking out your life in love. Love is not just something we feel; it is so much more; it is imitating Christ’s perfect example.

John Keats said “I am certain of nothing but the holiness of the heart's affections...” I am just as certain of nothing but the steadfast love of the Lord; a love that never looks back and keeps going to the end.

(i) Moulin Rouge
(ii) Paraphrase of 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
(iii) Luke 6:31
(iv) Boy Meets Girl-Joshua Harris

This is my favorite photo shoot from Teen Vogue...its from an old issue I got last year...