Mexicans love celebrations.  Now that Canadalaria is over ( the old Candlemas, or Presentation) it was time to turn to Valentine’s Day.  I saw many people walking around with bouquets of flowers, modest or extravagant and everywhere in the town were huge bunches of helium balloons, most sold by youngsters.  I read somewhere that over half the Mexican economy is ” informal”. What an innocent word for child exploitation, poor wages, lack of security or rights.  St. Valentine had nothing to do with bouquets of flowers or chocolates but with blood and martyrdom.  You could call it ful-on love…total sacrifice for the other.  Mexicans with their unflinching celebration of death add a new layer to a consideration of love.  Love is exhilarating, joyful, warm, of course, but tears have watered many a bouquet.  Longing, heartbreak loss are part of it….despite what Hallmark would like us to believe.  That red heart has to be strong and never falter.  Mexicans have Frida Kahlo for that…so I declare myself her disciple.  Let love spread out like a drop of blood in a glass of water.