Burt Bacharach (music) and Hal David (lyrics) collaborated to write the song, “What the World Needs Now is Love.” Jackie De Shannon recorded it in 1965. The Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement, and the assassination of Malcolm X were all over the news.

This song was a gentle reminder that we should be solving our problems with love not violence and intolerance.

Each time we heard it, for three minutes and ten seconds, a better world seemed possible. Though I was a small child, I remember falling in love with this song. Over the years, I wore out the vinyl record, but the song remained a symbol of the possibilities of love.

 When you think of love, what images come to mind? In honor of Valentine’s Day, for the February 2025 Quiz, I’ve listed twenty-seven common and obscure love symbols from around the world. Can you fill in the blanks below with the correct symbol? Some questions have multiple blank spaces. Good luck! Answers to the quiz are on the last page of this issue (Nexr Month in This Awful Awesome Life - March 2025. Read through to the end or use this link, https://www.thisawfulawesomelife.com/home/2025/2/3/next-month-in-this-awful-awesome-life-march-2025

Symbols of Love:

Apple                                              Seashells

Maple Leaf                                     Infinity

Three Leaf Clover                         Triskele

Ladybug/Lady Bird                       Diamond

Triangle                                           Kokopelli

Clasped Hands                            Padme Lotus

Ribbons                                          Nsoromma

Claddagh                                       Harp

Swans                                            Doves

Cupid                                              Rose Quartz

Jasmine                                          Love Knot

Red Roses                                      Heart

Hand                                               Shamrock

Frilly handkerchief

 

Questions:

1.      A ____________________ represents the love shared by mother, father, and child. It represented the capacity to love in Ancient Egypt, and is an important element of the Buddhist Shri Yantra that promotes love energy. Inverted, it symbolizes a vessel poured with love.

2.      Their hard casings represent the protectiveness of a romantic relationship. In Greece, Rome, and India, ___________________ are a symbol of love. They are worn by or shown with the three goddesses of love, Aphrodite, Venus, and Lakshmi.

3.      A symbol of love since 600 A.D., according to Greek, Egyptian, and Chinese legends this gemstone, _______________________, symbolizes forever love, promotes self-love and attracts the kind of love you seek. In 1477, Archduke Maximillian of Austria presented a ring with this gemstone,  a _____________________________,  to his bride Mary of Burgundy.

4.       White __________________ mate for life. They are often shown with their beaks touching and the curvature of their necks forming a heart shape. Traditionally a symbol of love and peace two _____________________ pictured together depict eternal love because they also mate for life.

5.      In Ancient Greece, throwing an ___________________ was an expression of love and adoration. It also symbolized unconditional love in Greek and Norse mythologies and ancient Chinese culture.

6.      This hunchbacked grasshopper _________________________ the fertility God to the Hopi tribe and several other Native American cultures in the Southwestern United States plays a love flute to attract a maiden. According to legend, when a man marries he breaks his love flute to signify that his search for a true love is over.

7.      _________________________ is a configuration consisting of loops that have no beginning or ending. It signifies forever love and was especially popular in Ancient Greece, Tibet, Rome, and India.

8.      A __________________________________ depicts the sweetness and wonders of love. In China and Jana, it represents true and beautiful love. In North America, it’s placed at the foot of a bed to ward off demons and bad spirits of negativity.

9.      A red ___________________ symbolizes love, passion, and ardor. White ____________________ is beloved for its fragrance and symbolizes pure and sacred love in the Hindu religion. Many Hindu goddesses are depicted wearing this flower. ___________________ are the most popular symbol of love worldwide.

10.  In Irish folklore, a _____________________ consisting of two hands, one crown, and one heart symbolizes love.

11.  A ___________________________ is a popular Celtic symbol for eternal love. The series of loops with no beginning or end represent everlasting love and attachment.

12.  A ______________________ is one of the oldest Celtic love symbols. It consists of three interlocked spirals representing earth, water, and fire that are connected by a continuous line representing love, unity, and eternal life.

13.  Traditionally a man asked his future father-in-law for his daughter’s _______________ in marriage. Eventually _________________________________ became a symbol of love and marriage.

14.  The ___________________________ is a common symbol of good luck and love. Some cultures in Asia believe if you catch one and release it will fly to the love of your life, whisper your name, and your true love will come to you.

15.  The star-shaped ___________________________ is thought to symbolize guardianship, bonding, faithfulness, love, and fidelity to remind us that God is watching over us.

16.  ______________________ with his bow is often featured in Greek and Roman artwork shooting arrows to penetrate people’s hearts and make them fall in love.

17.  A ____________________________________ is a sacred plant in Ireland worn by Irish couples on their wedding days to bring them faith, love, and hope. Also known as a ______________________, it is the national symbol of Ireland.

18.  According to Norwegians and Icelanders, a ladder formed of _______________________ strings represents the progression towards higher stages of love. This instrument is traditionally used in love ballads because of its gentle sound, and it’s a Celtic symbol representing the bridge of love connecting Earth with Heaven.

19.  In ancient times. Knights wore scarfs or __________________ from their ladyloves when they went into battle. In later times, a lady “dropped”  her ______________________________ hoping the man she was interested in would pick it up and return it signifying his interest in her.

20.  Though it only slightly resembles the organ it was named for, the  ___________________ has been a symbol of love, affection, and romance for centuries. 

Sources for This Quiz:

https://www.momjunction.com/articles/symbols-of-love_00750224/

http://www.verywellmind.com