Beware of Wolves
Valentines

by
Dessa Rodeffer
Quill Editor/Publisher

10 February 1999

     You've heard the saying, beware of wolves in sheep's clothing.
     As much as we love it when someone adorns us with flowers, candy, and expensive gifts, it is best when you know the person pretty well. If you don't know the person too well, ...beware. Those gifts might have a hidden price tag.
     You heard what the envelope said to the postage stamp, didn't you?
   "Stick with me and we'll go places."
     Now, there is a promise that's good for just about a week. A postage stamp will go places in the immediate future, but once it reaches it's destination, that's about the only trip it will ever take.
     Then the stamp gets cancelled and it's "the end of the road, Jack."
     There has been a lot of wolves throughout time, and you probably can think of several of them.
     I'm sure the gifts Monica Lewinsky received came with a nice price tag, and it looked like she was pretty anxious to turn over the gifts to Clinton's secretary.
     I guess one thing we may learn from the envelope and the postage stamp is to be aware of people who proclaim their love with a lot of cute promising statements and no history of really going places.
     The old saying - history repeats itself - is also true. It seems we can learn a lot about people by studying their records.
     I researched a few superstitions that can also get a gal in trouble.....
     On Valentine's Day...
     The first guy you read about in the newspaper or hear on the TV or radio will be the name of the man you will marry. (this year, his name most likely will be "Bill")
     If you see a squirrel, you will marry a cheapskate who will hoard all your money.
     If you see a goldfinch you will marry a millionaire. (could be some hidden problems there, too.)
     If you find a glove on the road, your guy will have the other missing glove.
     If you see a robin, you will marry a crime fighter.
     If you see a bat, you will marry a baseball player.
     The February edition of Life Magazine talked about successful marriages and interviewed many couples including George and Barbara Bush, Mavis and Jay Leno, Nancy and Carroll O'Connor, Charisse and Darryl Strawberry, Mary Taylor Moore and Dr. S. Robert Levine, Anne and Kirk Douglas, Mary and Mike Wallace, Tipper and Al Gore,    The cover story was on the great love shared by Jordan's Queen Noor and King Hussein who lost his battle with cancer this past week.
     They were "the world's most romantic couple," mainly due to the amount of  "care, concern, and support" they had given each other. Queen Noor said of her husband of 20 years,
     "He has always had the most extraordinary loving and faithful spirit which he shared with everyone. It defines his greatness as a leader."
     Successful marriages shared some common things: one or both spouses had parents with happy marriages, and "care for something bigger than themselves," they share a passion for something outside the family.
     I guess receiving gifts from an admirer is a nice token of one's affection, but if that's all there is to a relationship, be aware of what those gifts might cost you.