LOVE...
is an intangible, glorious, beautiful dream that we here at Enchanted Conversation are celebrating this month with some of our favorite quotes, lovely art, folklore tidbits, and stories. We hope you are inspired by our collection of all things "love" below!
“If I were to live a thousand years,
I would belong to you for all of them.
If we were to live a thousand lives,
I would want to make you mine in each one.”
- The Evolution of Mara Dyer by Michelle Hodkin
LOVE & FOLKLORE
10 Superstitions About Finding Love
Superstitions grow out of the belief that a specific action or object will have an influence on one's life, and since many want to have love in their life, folklore abounds with superstitions about love and how to find it...
SIGNS YOU'LL FALL IN LOVE SOON:
- You stumble going up a flight of stairs.
- You have hairy legs.
- You dream of taking a bath.
- The lines on your palm form an M
TO DREAM OF THE ONE YOU WILL FALL IN LOVE WITH:
- Sleep with a mirror under your pillow.
- Rub your headboard with lemon peel before turning off the light.
- Count nine stars each night for nine nights.
- Put daisies under your pillow at night.
- Take a sprig of rosemary and a sprig of thyme. Sprinkle them three times with water and place each herb in a shoe. Put the shoes at the foot of your bed.
- Stand in front of a mirror and brush your hair three times.
"We would be together and have our books, and at night, be warm in bed together with the windows open and the stars bright."
- A Moveable Feast, Ernest Hemingway
Love Proverbs
from around the world
"A life without love is like a year without summer." —Lithuanian proverb
"There is no love like the first love." —Italian proverb
"It is love that makes the impossible, possible." —Indian proverb
"All men have three ears, one on the left of his head, one on the right, and one in his heart." —Armenian proverb
"A day lasts until it's chased away but love lasts until the grave." —Irish proverb
"Love has to be shown by deeds not words." —Swahili proverb
"Where there is love there is no darkness." —Burundian proverb
"Love itself is calm; turbulence arrives from individuals." —Chinese proverb
"Love lives in cottages as well as in court." —English proverb
"The heart that loves is always young." —Greek proverb
from around the world
"A life without love is like a year without summer." —Lithuanian proverb
"There is no love like the first love." —Italian proverb
"It is love that makes the impossible, possible." —Indian proverb
"All men have three ears, one on the left of his head, one on the right, and one in his heart." —Armenian proverb
"A day lasts until it's chased away but love lasts until the grave." —Irish proverb
"Love has to be shown by deeds not words." —Swahili proverb
"Where there is love there is no darkness." —Burundian proverb
"Love itself is calm; turbulence arrives from individuals." —Chinese proverb
"Love lives in cottages as well as in court." —English proverb
"The heart that loves is always young." —Greek proverb
The rainbow stands
In a moment
As if you are here.
- Takahama Kyoshi
VINTAGE VICTORIAN VALENTINES
Where did the practice of sending Valentine’s cards come from?
The written Valentine’s message dates back to the 1500s when written messages of love were exchanged in Europe. By 1732, Valentine’s Day messages took the form of a written note on pretty paper with a special verse, but the practice of sending Valentine cards became a tradition in the Victorian era when papers made especially for Valentine’s greetings began to be marketed. As postal rates became cheaper in 1840, the sending of cards featuring hearts, cupids, flowers, swans, and romantic couples grew in popularity. With the improvement of printing methods, mass produced Valentine’s cards appeared by the late 19th century, and the practice of sending them continues to this day. Below are some examples of this Valentine's tradition from the Victorian era:
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace.
I love thee to the level of every day’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for right.
I love thee purely, as they turn from praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints. I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life; and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
VENUS THE GODDESS OF LOVE
The Birth of Venus, Sandro Botticelli, 1485
VENUS, the Roman goddess of love, beauty, desire, fertility, prosperity, and victory, was born fully formed of the foam from the sea and rose from the water in a clam shell. She is also the mother of the Cupids (Erotes) who were a collection of winged love deities who represented the different aspects of love.
“To love or have loved, that is enough.
Ask nothing further.
There is no other pearl to be found in the dark folds of life.”
Ask nothing further.
There is no other pearl to be found in the dark folds of life.”
Les Miserables - Victor Hugo
ART GALLERY
Il Bacio (The Kiss) Francesco Hayez, 1859
My Sweet Rose, John William Waterhouse, 1903
Romeo and Juliet, Sir Frank Dicksee, 1884
Venus and Cupid, Henry Howard, 1809
The Mermaid, Howard Pyle, 1910
First Kiss, William Bouguereau, 1873
And check out
Enchanted Conversation's
and listen to the
Classical Music to Write Fairy Tales By
playlist for some writing inspiration!
EC's contributing editor, Amanda Bergloff, writes modern fairy tales, folktales, and speculative fiction. Her work has appeared in various anthologies, including Frozen Fairy Tales, After the Happily Ever After, and Uncommon Pet Tales.
Follow her on Twitter @AmandaBergloff
Check out her Amazon Author page HERE
Also, join her every Tuesday on Twitter for #FairyTaleTuesday to share what you love about fairy tales, folktales, and myths.
Quotes/Various Graphic Design: Amanda Bergloff
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