"If vacillation dwell with the heart the soul will rue it."
This is the first line to Eschenbach's Parzival. It is the story of a naive fool, who by opening his heart and going with the flow, has an adventure. Eventually, he saves the Fisher King, which heals the wasteland and frees the prisoners. He accomplishes this with a pure heart and an openess to what life has to offer. And just what does life have to offer? This month it is much! Open your heart, and find out.
Of course, I'm talking about Valentine's day. Do be careful. I oft hear the repeated line about a holiday created by greeting card companies. Although ours is a commercial culture, as many will attest to, Valentine's Day does predate greeting cards. In fact, one of the earliest mentions of this day is Chaucer's love birds:
"For this was on seynt Volantynys day
Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make."
So then, if this is our moment, let's open to it, shall we? Let's make a date. Will you be my Valentine? Here's what I'm thinking:
Let's start a day early! How about Februrary 13th? Would you like to have a really special night with your loved one? Together, let's meet someone that the LA Times says that we should keep our eye on. He shops in the Co-op, and can't be missed. Yes, I'm talking about Trey McIntyre. His dance troupe is performing its Program Two at the Morrison Center on February 13th. And when they perform, it's something special. If you haven't seen them in action, this would be a wonderful Valentine's Day treat. They are even offering a special promotion, which they are calling a "Treycation." Check it out! And don't forget the strawberries and the wine! Pick up some delicious organic strawberries from our Produce Department and then find something nice from the Boise Co-op Wine Shop.
Yes, we had a great night, but now it's Valentine's Day proper and what am I to do? Here is my thought. Let's have a quiet night at home, with a hearty meal, and watch my favorite Valentine's Day movie: Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind. We'll enjoy a nice, organic steak, some baked potatoes and a hearty salad. The bakers we are featuring in Produce right now are incredible. They are local, organic, large and good. One may enough for two people to share. Let's make the salad really special, too, and top it with walnuts and some cranberries from the Produce fruit cooler. Don't know about the fruit cooler? It is the cooler nearest to Aisle 2, the "Bulk Aisle," and it's filled with smallish packages of dried fruits and nuts and snacks. Stop there before you take any day trips.
Back to the hearty salad, though. Have you ever considered radicchio?
It looks like a heart! It has a slightly bitter flavor, but would make a great addition to our hearty salad! I'm thinking a light raspberry vinaigrette, warm goat cheese . . . this is starting to sound great! And maybe for the sake of the metaphor, we should top the salad with blood oranges as well?
We here in Produce do wish you a wonderful February, and know that spring is right around the corner. (Get your organic garden seeds now from the Produce Department! Hurry-- they go quick!)
And let's close with something I like from a book about Parzival. The book is called Healing The Fisher King, and it's by Shelly Durrell. These are her words describing a connection between the individual and the community to which she belongs:
When the heart is at peace,
The family is at peace.
When the family is at peace,
The town is at peace.
When the town is at peace,
The nation is at peace.
When the nation is at peace,
The world is at peace.
We wish you peace in your hearts.
