Many of you know that Virginia (the person) lives in Virginia (the state.) It can be confusing at times, “Hello, I’m Virginia, from Virginia.” And, guess what? I also went to the University of Virginia. (Here’s a past post about that: Standing Against Hate in Charlottesville.)
You may wonder why my parents named me after a state? Well, there are many Virginias in our family: my precious mama, her aunt (my great Aunt Ginny), my great maternal grandmother (“Sarepta Virginia”), then on my papa’s side his mother (“Virginia Clare”) and his oldest sister (“Virginia Rae.”)
Lots of Virginias = my name is Virginia, too.
I am also a (mostly) proud Virginian. Arizona may have the Grand Canyon and California may have lots of beaches, but Virginia has lots to love: beautiful beaches, the Blue Ridge and Shenandoah mountains, rolling farm county, rustic rivers, small towns, big towns and lots in between including fun cities, lots of history, and many amazing people. (Ahem.)
Back in the 1969 other folks thought so too when the Richmond based Martin Agency started one of the most iconic travel marketing campaigns of all time with the slogan: Virginia is for Lovers.
Growing up in the touristy city of Virginia Beach, posters and signs emblazoned with Virginia is for Lovers blanketed the landscape. That ad campaign started many years ago is still going strong, 50 years later!
‘Cause, isn’t love a good thing to celebrate, especially in these divisive times?
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
Love is needed more now than ever in Virginia and all around our whacked out world. Maybe we can take this ad campaign to heart as a challenge, to make our towns, counties, cities, states, and countries places of light and love.
One act of kindness and love at a time, despite deadly divisiveness that seeks to stamp love out. Why can’t we make LOVE great again?
“The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.” J.R.R. Tolkien
grace, peace & LOVE
Virginia : )
p.s. For fellow Virginians, tomorrow (Tuesday, 05 November) is Election Day across Virginia. We’ll be electing state and local officials: county sheriffs, school board members, county supervisors, attorneys, and all Virginia House of Delegate representatives and state senators (who represent us in Richmond.) Look up candidates and see who wants to do what for issues important to you. Many folks don’t vote in off year elections, but our local and state elected officials do lots (or not, as the case may be.) Don’t forget to VOTE!
Roses in the Rubble 
Hey Virginia, from Virginia 😉
‘Virginia is for Lovers’ is a captivating slogan, but out of curiosity, I wondered what had transpired in Virginia back in 1969 to inspire the Richmond based Martin Agency to market the state in the way they did?
Namaste,
DN
Actually, Dewin, I looked that up. There was a famous legal case “Loving vs. Virginia” in 1967 that I thought might have influenced the campaign, but it actually came from the ad agency tasked with developing travel advertisements for the state. It started with one staffer proposing “Virginia is for history lovers” (there’s lots of that around Williamsburg where I live near Jamestown – the 1st English settlement in America) and grew from there. Those heady 1960s were all about love and peace (Woodstock et all) so Virginia (the state) went with it. Now commemorating 50 years!!
There truly is lots to see in our beautiful state – mountains, beaches, history, fun, art galleries, botanical gardens, rivers (there are 3 rivers near our home + it’s a 30 minute drive to the ocean), and much, much more.
Blessings!! Virginia (the person) 🙂
Thank you indeed for a detailed summation Virginia. It’s fascinating to learn how one small seed-of-an-idea (I’d love to think of it as an off-the-cuff, back of a beer-mat type comment conceived in a brain-storming session!) grew into a marketing strategy so successful so as to have lasted half-a-century! One can quite easily imagine how the influence of 60’s culture – its energy and enthusiasm – married so successfully with the historical perspective and together drove the marketing strategy forward.
Evident to me is your obvious fondness, and enjoyment, of the state of Virginia. I am encouraged to read-up a little more about Virginia: my only real reference, other than yourself and knowledge of key historical events, is through Bill Bryson, the travel writer, who featured the Appalachian Trail in one of his books, which is a walk I’d love to do that remains on my bucket list! Who knows, one day I may visit.
Brightest Blessings, Namaste,
DN
Bright blessings back to you, Dewin. I am also a groupie of Bill Bryson’s “A Walk in the Woods” about the Appalachian Trail. A big chunk goes through Virginia’s Blue Ridge & Shenandoah parks – not far from Charlottesville (that I’ve written about several times.) It’s beautiful, especially in the fall. Hope you can visit one day to see for yourself!
I’ve never been to Wales but hope to make it one day!
grace, peace & bucket lists – VA ☀️⛰🍁⛰☀️
One day I might just do that Virginia 😀
Wonders, wanders, walk-about! Namaste,
DN
Wow! I forgot your name is also a state! You must get oohs and aahs when you introduce self as Virginia from Virginia!👏😃
LoL, GH! Yes, at times it can be a little hilarious. My friends in D.C. called me “VA-cubed” since my name is VA, I’m from VA, and went to the University of VA. Blessings & hugs to you! VA3 🙂
V to the power of 3!! You are unique indeed 😄
🌟💜🌟😎☀️💜
I love all the Love signs popping up everywhere now. 😀 We just got one here in town recently, too. I’m very proud to be a Virginian. 😊
Michelle, I like having the “Love” signs all over the place, too – a great reminder to love everybody! I’m proud to be a Virginian, too. Although there are some not-so-nice bits of our history, there’s lots of amazing folks who did great things, too. Blessings!! 🙂
I love Virginia! Maybe my favorite state!
Glad you love Virginia, Michele. I also love NC – growing up we spent summer vacations in the Smoky Mountains near Asheville, such a beautiful place! Plus you have beaches (OBX, Wilmington et all) and quaint towns like Edenton… Big hugs!! 🙂
Gosh-you know all “my places” Edenton is just s few minutes from Elizabeth City and it is lovely. love Michele
My brother-in-law, Woody, is from Hertford. He & my sis Shere lived in Elizabeth City for many years before moving to Williamsburg in the 1990s. My other sis, Cindy, & her husband also lived in Elizabeth City awhile ago, so I had a chance to visit many times & always enjoyed Edenton. Lots of love! VA 💐🤗💐