Eternal Valentines

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I was immediately intrigued by this photo when I first saw it on my Yahoo homepage last week. Archeologists on a dig in Italy have uncovered these fossilized skeletons that have literally been locked in an embrace for the past 5,000 to 6,000 years. To me, the image is the ultimate paradox. In the same instant it’s both gruesome and romantic. It’s a harsh reminder of our mortality, and yet it also illustrates human spirit that sometimes transcends our mortality.

One can only speculate as to how these two people came to die nearly cheek to cheek in what is clearly an endearing embrace. The article I read inferred these two people were male and female, and apparently rather young due to teeth that had not yet been ground down with age. Were they two lovers? Perhaps husband and wife? Did they die in this position? Together? Could one have been so heart broken as to lie down next to the partner who had already expired to wait for death? Perhaps they were arranged this way after death as a tribute to their togetherness in life, or as testimony to their love for each other. Love. Were people who lived five or six thousand years ago, who were barbarians by today’s standards, even capable of experiencing love as we define it today?

This brings me to the point of my writing about this here on a FemDom blog. If you read much about this lifestyle, if you participate in any of a couple of forums on the subject, you may note that emphasis is often centered around a D/S component. In the VOT Forum, for example, there is currently a great deal of heated discussion about whether “real” FLRs should include D/S, discipline, orgasm control, or even use of the terms dominant and submissive. One individual even asserts that 90% of FLRs are bogus, simply sham relationships in which men top from the bottom to satisfy their fantasies. Women once again are exploited and manipulated by men. That women rarely initiate FLRs on their own is cited as proof of this.

My intention here is not to belabor that particular debate. I do however want to say that in all the discussions, a term I see used less than any other is LOVE. That’s unfortunate because in my opinion, love is the most critical component of all. Anyone who has read this blog knows that Goddess V and I believe in female-led relationships and in FemDom. But while her role as a domme and mine as her submissive may define who we are within our marriage, it’s the love that we hold for each other that keeps us centered in our relationship.


As for the ancient “Valentines,” we probably won’t see them on a Hallmark card (“My love for you is everlasting”), but I think we will be seeing this image again and again. In magazines and newspapers, on the Internet and in text books. The photo has the cover of National Geographic written all over it. Being a romantic at heart, I think this a good thing because I believe as human beings, we need to be reminded of just what is and what is not important in the grand scheme of things. This image might help in that regard.

Unfortunately, this couple will undoubtedly also be transported to some cold and sterile laboratory for all manner of tests, none of which will tell us the human story behind these two lives, and then eventually to a stuffy museum somewhere where people will gawk at their bones. As a romantic, my vote would be to cover them over where they lay. Walk away and let them be together in their embrace for thousands more years to come.

Oh, and Happy V-day to all those in FemDom relationships!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm very glad to see you stress love.

I've tended to assume that FLR / LFA filled the gap for people less given to sheer kink than the two of us. A gentle comfortable space even if in some ways "authoritarian."

But many seem to still make it sound like something practiced in the Other World Kingdom.

Queen'sKnight1 said...

What a poignant story. I couldn't agree more with you on every point, particularly that love is the most important aspect and that this couple should be allowed to remain in their embrace in situ eternally.

Anonymous said...

Don't want to rain on the love parade but they reckon the woman was almost certainly put to death after the husband had died in order to accompany him to the afterlife. It was one of those nice stories that suddenly got a wee bit more horrific the more you read about it. Sorry

Jamie said...

Well, I didn't see the story that anonymous saw, but I did see one where the scientists in charge concluded that the best disposition of the bones was to move them to a preservation site without disturbing them - dirt and all.

Also, with your so-well-placed emphasis on love, may I recommend one of our favorite movies: "Love Actually"?

Thanks for writing so thoughtfully.

meanqueen said...

Hi! Maybe this is a topic for your blog
http://mp3.femdomradio.com:8000/status.xsl
(stream 2)

YesssMistress said...

How do we know they weren't trying to strangle each other?

helpmate hubby said...

great read and touching sentiments. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

I agree wholeheartedly. Google femdom and then google +femdom and +love. Then google +femdom and +feet. The results speak for themselves, love is too rarely mentioned. As for love, it was the same in ancient days; but, often people made the choices for other reasons. I think a good question for people is, do you love your partner or the idea of Wife Led more.