Centuries ago, Plato created ‘The Symposium’. It was a dinner gathering, which included Socrates, Phaedrus, Pausanius, Eryximachus, and Aristophanes, hosted by Agathon. (If you have no idea who these people are, don’t worry. The point is they’re the main characters/players/speakers in Plato’s ‘The Symposium’.) Each of these men gives a little speech about love. Sometimes, the speakers contradict themselves and each other. Some speeches are better than others. I found the whole to be fascinating. As a college freshman, I wrote my own little ‘Symposium’, a dinner party peopled by various original characters, talking about love. Part of me would welcome a chance to rewrite this story, in spite of being busy with many other stories. Now, I welcome you to join me on February 14th, 2016 in creating our own ‘Symposium’. What do you think about love? It doesn’t have to be romantic love. It can be any kind of love. You don’t even have to use your own voice. Plato often used Socrates to voice ideas, debate them, question them. Use a character of yours to ponder love, if you wish. Ponder it in as general or specific a fashion as you like. Simply have it be in some way connected to love. This is all you have to do, to join this little ‘Symposium’ on February 14th, 2016. Write your blog ahead of time, if you’re busy on Valentine’s Day. I know I am, so I’ll be writing mine ahead of time, too. Just take a moment to share a thought, a feeling, a sentiment, or a story fragment regarding love on that day.
