Call me but Love

January 28th 2024

Amidst the mayhem of our everyday lives we forever crave time and space for our loved ones. That is why weekends, holidays and celebrations are so important. It was ever thus. whilst not a holiday Valentine’s Day is now a worldwide phenomenon, a date in the calendar where we stop, think and declare our love, albeit secretly at first.

In the not so distant past a romantic but unsigned card would suffice with flowers if you were truly smitten... but not just any type of flower, it had to be a single scarlet rose or a spray of scarlet roses. We probably have Shakespeare to thank for this. The famous balcony scene in Romeo and Juliet oozes romance.

Juliet reasons that it does not matter that Romeo is from a rival family; she compares him to a rose saying that if he were not named Romeo he would still be handsome and be Juliet's love. To which Romeo replies “Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized; Henceforth I never will be Romeo.”

Juliet:

O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?
Deny thy father and refuse thy name;
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I'll no longer be a Capulet

Romeo:

Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?

Juliet:

'Tis but thy name that is my enemy;
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
What's Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other word would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
And for that name which is no part of thee
Take all myself.

Romeo:

I take thee at thy word:
Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized;
Henceforth I never will be Romeo.

This year OnlyRoses has created a truly wonderful collection of gifts especially for Valentine’s Day. It is probably a good idea if you take a look.

Valentines Intro

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