Have a heart?

Saturday, February 14, 2009 - There are months where flower sales merely limp along. May is always good because so many of us have absolutely no idea what to give our mothers on her day. June isn't too bad either - its a big wedding month. And, because so many of us have absolutely no idea what to give our spouses, anniversaries are good for the local flower shop. Poinsettias sell well in December, and daffodils do well in April. But other than Valentine's Day, flower sales pretty much rely on men who have done something wrong, or are about to do something wrong.

There are the "sorry I didn't call" flowers (lilies), the "I didn't mean what I said" flowers (carnations), the "I'm going to disappoint you this weekend" flowers (daisies and yellow carnations), "I'm really going to messed up" flowers (pink roses), and "I really messed up" flowers (red roses). Fortunately, men continue to mess up. Come to think of it, so do us girls. That's when you have to send the "oh crap, did I really do that" flowers (bouquet of cigars and a vase of scotch). I wonder what Claudius the Cruel sent to Saint Valentine's family back in 270 after he beheaded him? Did FTD have a "I'm sorry I took your head" arrangement?

We believe that Valentines day is a day about romance and love. If this is love...

• February 14, 270 - Saint Valentine Loses his head
• February 14, 1349 - 2,000 Jews are burned to death or chased out of the city of Strasbourg.
• February 14, 1779 - James Cook is killed by Native Hawaiians on the Island of Hawaii.
• February 14, 1929 - St. Valentine's Day Massacre: Seven gangsters are murdered in Chicago
• February 14, 1981 - Stardust Disaster: A fire in a Dublin nightclub kills 48 people
• February 14, 1989 - Khomeini issues a fatwa to kill Salman Rushdie
• February 14, 1990 - 92 people are killed aboard Indian Airlines Flight 605
  
• February 14, 1996 - China launches a satellite rocket that crashes into a rural village.
• February 14, 2008 - Northern Illinois University shooting: 24 casualties; 6 fatalities and 18 injured.

I'm going to guess that FTD has had to come up with much more than the "Oops" bouquet. Of course it is also Organ Donor Day. If you haven't already, sign your donor card. If you are ever in a position to donate your organs, please do. You won't need them any longer and it could make the difference to another. After all, today is all about hearts. Give yours.