In the United States, today is the day of LOVE. It’s Valentine’s Day! Truth be told, it’s never been my favorite holiday, but I do think we can’t talk enough about LOVE — and who doesn’t need a nudge to show that love to people they care about?

The title of this post comes from a classic scene in The Princess Bride where the evil Humperdink is faking love for a woman in order to get her to marry him and help him take over the kingdom. If you have seen the movie, you know how hilarious the scene is because the priest’s voice is so unexpected.

But tonight I’m sitting here thinking about how tragic the scene is, too. Humperdink has no time for the sermon the priest wants to give on true love and what it means to truly cherish someone else.

Sounds a bit like what is happening in our culture. It seems so much of our world has little time or interest in divine truths about marriage, about sexual purity and high moral standards, about honesty, about respect. More and more we see pornography pushed and peddled not on the fringe where it belongs, but in previews at wholesome movies, in stores where you buy milk and shoes, and continually through our TVs and various modes of product marketing. That normalization is now including mainstreaming what has to this point only existed in the shadows of society — violent, sexist, abusive sexual relationships. (Yes, especially today, I’m looking straight at you, 50 Shades. 100 million copies in multiple languages? Has our society gone mad?)

So I just wanted to put my voice out there today on the day of love to celebrate what love is. To me, love includes things like respect (for self and the other), honor, virtue (in marriage, too!), truth-telling, and truth-living.

Perhaps if we can fill the world more with pictures and words and videos and movies and quotes of what love really is, the counterfeits will be recognized more readily by more people.

So, what does “wuv, twue wuv” mean to you? I invite you to include a photo, video, or post through your own social media connections about what true love looks like. Of course, this applies to love in marriage, but can also apply to family relationships, friendships, and even the loving actions that exist between strangers.

Let’s celebrate true love today. Happy Valentine’s Day!