CUPID-a symbol of love

In Roman mythology, Cupid (Latin cupido) is the god of erotic love and beauty. He is also known by another one of his Latin names, Amor (cognate with Kama).In popular culture Cupid is frequently shown shooting his bow to inspire romantic love, often as an icon of Valentine's Day. It is said that if Cupid shoots his arrow of love and hits you, that you will fall helplessly and madly in love with the next person you meet.

In Roman mythology, Cupid is the son of Venus, the goddess of love. In greek mythology, he was known as Eros and was the son of Aphrodite. He is known as a mischievous, winged child armed with bow and arrows. The arrows signify desires and emotions of love,Cupid has always played a role in the celebrations of love and lovers. There is a very interesting story about Cupid and His mortal Bride Psyche in Roman mythology.read the story here.
According to legend, Cupid's arrows come in two varieties: the Golden Arrow, which generally signifies true love, and the Leaden Arrow, which represents wanton and sensual passion. He is also known to sometimes carry a torch with which to inflame desire between men and women. Cupid is not always successful in his endeavors, however. Sometimes his arrows turn people away from those who fall in love with them. In some mythological tales, Venus was scratched by one of Cupid's arrows while playing with her son, the result being that the Godddess fell instantly in love with Adonis...the first man she saw after receiving the wound.
According to some sources, Cupid (as Eros) arose out of Chaos, along with Tartarus and Earth (making him one of the oldest Gods), only later becoming associated with Aphrodite as her winged son. The mingling of Eros (who, in this instance, was considered to have no parents) with Chaos is said to have created the race of birds. In certain mythological tales, it is stated that there was no race of immortals before Eros caused all things to mingle. Other legends maintain that Eros hatched from an egg laid by Nyx, also known as Night. Cherubs are also believed to be descendants of Cupid. Depicted as loveable little winged creatures devoid of either arrows or quivers, cherubs are typically not mischievous, as is their infamous alleged ancestor.
The fable of Eros and Psyche is usually considered allegorical. The Greek name for a butterfly is "psyche" and the same word means the "soul." Thus, Psyche represents the human soul which, purified by sufferings and misfortunes, is prepared for the enjoyment of true and pure happiness. In works of art, Psyche is often depicted as a maiden with the wings of a butterfly.

A red Rose as a symbol of love

A Red Rose is a symbol of Love.
It’s silky softness resembles my heart
when I think of you.
The petals, multiple layers of beauty
symbolize the many layers
my love for you enfolds.
The leaves caress the rose
allowing it to grow fuller and stronger.
The stem supports the rose,
allowing it to hold fast, grow tall, and sturdy.
The thorns protect the rose,
preventing harm from outside unsafe forces.
If you cherish, nurture, and caress this rose,
it will last a lifetime.
Just as my love for you will last an eternity

BY SAN MILLER

Red roses, as we think of them today, are the traditional symbol for love and romance. The modern red rose we are now familiar with was introduced to Europe from China in the 1800's. However, the meanings associated with them can be traced back many centuries, even to some of the earliest societies. The color red itself evolved from an early primal symbol for life into a metaphor for deep emotion. In Greek and Roman mythology the red rose was closely tied to the goddess of love. Many early cultures used red roses to decorate marriage ceremonies and they were often a part of traditional wedding attire. Through this practice, the red rose became known as a symbol for love and fidelity. As the tradition of exchanging roses and other flowers as gifts of affection came into prevalence, the red rose naturally became the flower of choice for sending the strongest message of love. This is a tradition that has endured to the present day.

Red roses continue to be the most popular way to say "I love you" to someone special. The rich heritage of the red rose has culminated in its modern day image as the lover's rose. They are the definitive symbol for romantic sentiments, representing true love, stronger than thorns. Red roses are a meaningful gift, perfect for expressing feelings for a loved one on Valentine's Day, an anniversary or simply "just because." For the budding relationship, a red rose bouquet can also signal the beginning of romantic intentions. They can send a message of commitment and an invitation to take the next step. Even the simplicity of a single red rose can elicit a powerful response. Whatever the occasion, red roses have an allure that is hard to resist!

The Shape Of Love

The heart (♥) has long been used as a symbol to refer to the spiritual, emotional, moral, and in the past also intellectual core of a human being. As the heart was once widely believed to be the seat of the human mind, the word heart continues to be used poetically to refer to the soul, and stylized depictions of hearts are extremely prevalent symbols representing love.

In European traditional art and folklore, the heart symbol is drawn in a stylized shape. This shape is typically colored red, suggesting both blood and, in many cultures, passion and strong emotion. The hearts have constituted, since the 15th century, one of the red suits in most playing card decks. The shape is particularly associated with romantic love; it is often seen on St. Valentine's Day cards, candy boxes, and similar popular culture artifacts as a symbol of romantic love.

The heart symbol (♥) is used in slang expressions to indicate love or affection, sometimes with a
connotation that the feeling is superficial or juvenile. It is a play upon Milton Glaser's classic I Love New York logo (typeset "I ♥ NY"). In the U.S., it can be used to show that one has a crush on someone or is in love with someone (i.e. "I ♥ [someone's name]" or "[Someone] ♥s [Someone else]"). It is also present in some recent titles, e.g. the film I ♥ Huckabees, the video game We ♥ Katamari, or the Naoki Maeda songs, CANDY♥ and LOVE ♥ SHINE.

The widespread use of this expression has inspired many parodies. Originally pronounced "I love", hipsters have taken to facetiously verbalizing it as "I heart".A universal symbol of love, the heart has held meaning for centuries. In pagan and early Christian eras, it was thought to be the center of emotion. To the Victorians, the heart symbolized love, courage, and intelligence. Now when one bestows a heart to another, the message of "I give my heart to you" is unmistakable.

Some emphasis on evidences that say that the valentine heart originated from a particular species of plant, called Silphium, found in North Africa during the seventh century B.C. This extinct plant is said to have had heart-shaped seed pods or fruits.The unique shape of the valentine heart got recognition when coins were minted, with clear depictions of the shape on them, in the commercial city-state of Cyrene. These silver coins were increasingly used for
economic benefits and at the same time spread the awareness about the love shape among the people.

But, the Catholic Church acknowledges that the universally known shape of the valentine heart did not originate prior to the seventeenth century. It was during this time that this symbol came to be known as the Sacred heart of Jesus and was, for the first time, said to have some association with the feelings of love and devotion.

The shape became popular with valentine hearts being displayed on glass windows and even as
iconography in the church. This is when the romantic ideology related to the red colored heart developed. The heart has since been referred to have a spiritual, emotional, moral and intellectual connection to the human life.

However, some scholars dismiss all romantic ideologies associated to the valentine heart. They state that the shape had been evolved as to merely describe the appearance of the human heart, an organ which is said to be containing all human emotions and sentiments. Hence the symbol also got to be inter-linked with the concept of love.

The red color of the valentine heart signifies passion and strong emotions. The heart shape is often found in the form of the joined wings of the Dove, which is associated to the Greek Goddess of Love, Aphrodite and is also found as the arrow head of Cupid, the Roman God of Love.