Director's Wave | Volume 5 Edition 17

Something to Ponder
“I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.” - Martin Luther King Jr.

Today is Friday 14 February. Love is in the air, it's Friday I’m in love’, and there are a lot of things we do for love. On this day multiple countries around the world consider this Valentine’s Day. Over time, lore, history and most certainly marketing ploys, Valentine’s Day has morphed into a day to celebrate love. Western pop culture has told us that love is a many-splendored thing and money can’t buy us love. We have asked questions such as, is this love, what is love and what’s love got to do with it? We have also learned that some people can’t help falling in love and that love is what you want it to be. Yet others might say that love is tainted, you give love a bad name.  and love stinks. Personally, if love is the subject, I am fortunate to be crazy in love and even addicted to love. For any music buffs who may be reading this, please note the above comments about love are compliments of John Paul Young, The Cure, 10cc, Nat King Cole, The Beatles, Bob Marley, Haddaway, Tina Turner, Elvis Presely, Alanna Myles, Soft Cell, Bon Jovi, The J. Geils Band, Odds, Beyonce and Robert Palmer. Below there are also comments by Haircut 100, Etta James, Paul McCartney and Wings, Celine Dion, U2 and an encore by Bob Marley.

Often unfairly maligned when it comes to love, is mathematics. In reality, there is a mathematical formula for love, it is not love plus one, it is, (x2 + y2 - 1)3 - x2y3= 0.  This formula is expressed in the graph you see with this message. Whilst mathematics and music may indeed be universal languages of love, we cannot rule out the written word as a form of expression - just be sure to use proper punctuation when expressing your love in words, as illustrated in the examples below.

Example One - Punctuation use that indicates a love letter.

Dear Ashley,

I want a person who knows what love is all about. You are generous, kind, and thoughtful. People who are not like you admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me for other people. I yearn for you. I have no feelings whatsoever when we’re apart. I can be forever happy–will you let me be yours? Sincerely, Blake

Example Two -  The same words, yet with different punctuation, turning a love letter into a break-up letter

Dear Ashley,

I want a person who knows what love is. All about you are generous, kind, and thoughtful people, who are not like you. Admit to being useless and inferior. You have ruined me. For other people, I yearn. For you, I have no feelings whatsoever. When we’re apart, I can be forever happy. Will you let me be? Sincerely, Blake

Lastly, if you find silly love songs to be maudlin and sappy, and don’t think love can move mountains, perhaps you still haven't found what you’re looking for, regardless I hope you have a beautiful day.

Wishing you a pleasant weekend - One Love,

Jim Urquhart
Director - Cayman International School