Joe DiMaggio Archives - View from the Front Porch

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. Time to think about how to show our Valentine love.

French writer François Rabelais offers this suggestion. “Gestures, in love, are incomparably more attractive, effective, and valuable than words.”

How about these impressive gestures of love?

Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor built the Taj Mahal as a tomb for his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died giving birth to the couple’s 14th child.

Edward VIII abdicated the throne for American Wallis Simpson. They married in 1937 and spent the rest of their lives in retirement in France. Makes me wonder if Prince Henry’s recent decision to leave the royal family was a gesture of love for his American wife.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning composed love poems for Robert Browning during their courtship. “Sonnets from the Portuguese” was published in 1850. That’s where we get the immortal line, “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.”

Joe DiMaggio was married to Marilyn Monroe for only 274 days in 1954. He spent the rest of his life sending red roses to her grave in Los Angeles three times a week.

My love hasn’t built me a Taj Mahal, but he willingly completes honey-do lists.

He hasn’t abdicated a throne, but he promises me he would if he had one to abdicate.

His love notes aren’t published, but the words surpass Ms. Browning’s sonnets.

I won’t be around to see if he leaves flowers on my grave, but he surprises me often with a lovely bouquet.

I considers all his gestures comparable to those of the people above.

How will you share Valentine love? Are you willing to share some awesome romantic gesture you’re planning or have received?

Four Passionate Romantic Gestures

By judythemorgan|2015-02-11T06:00:39-06:00February 11th, 2015|Holidays|3 Comments

According to French writer François Rabelais, “Gestures, in love, are incomparably more attractive, effective, and valuable than words.”

With Valentine’s Day this weekend, I expect romantic gestures will abound. Every year at this time sales of red roses and chocolates will soar. Couples share candlelight dinners. Expensive jewelry is exchanged. All very romantic things to do to express love for one’s sweetheart.

I’m wondering how whatever gestures of love are made this weekend can conpete with these:

Shah Jahan’s Taj Mahal

Around 1632 Mughal emperor Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal—with its elaborate minarets, 250-foot-high domed mausoleum and 42-acre grounds—as a tomb for his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, who died giving birth to the couple’s 14th child. When he died in 1666, he was buried beside her.

Edward VIII’s Abdication of the Throne

King Edward the VIII became the most romantic English royal of all when he fell in love with American Wallis Simpson. Forced to choose between love and crown, Edward abdicated the throne in December 1936. Simpson quickly divorced her husband to marry Edward the following year. They spent the rest of their lives in retirement in France.

Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s Love Sonnets to Robert Browning

The love between poets Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Robert Browning is one of literature’s greatest romances. In 1850 Elizabeth Barrett’s “Sonnets from the Portuguese,” a series of love poems composed when the pair first began their courtship was published. “Sonnets from the Portuguese” includes the immortal line, “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.”

Joe DiMaggio’s Flowers for Marilyn Monroe

Married to Marilyn Monroe for only 274 days in 1954, Joe DiMaggio remained infatuated with the legendary blonde bombshell for the rest of his life sending red roses to her grave in Los Angeles three times a week for the next twenty years.

Over the years, my very romantic husband has given me some incredible wonderful gifts of love.

He’s not built a Taj Mahal, but a lovely home in the forest I dearly love sharing with him. He hasn’t abdicated a throne, but if he were royalty, he tells me he would. He has written love poems, and given me Hallmark cards, that equal or surpass Mrs. Browning’s sonnets. And, though I won’t be around, I can see him leaving me flowers. He surprises me frequently with a lovely bouquet,

How about you have you received some awesome romantic gesture(s) of love you’d be willing to share?