valentines day used to mean many things-- heart shaped frosted decorated sugar cookies- so sweet you could taste the love, the shoebox and milk carton mailboxes for grade school valentines, read ever so carefully so as to detect hidden interest in the subtle lines and choice of cards, the carnations and roses delivered with little notes to you during your high school english class, the dream of secret admirers--little glimmers of hope that the guy you secretly had a crush on would profess his love for you only to have the valentines pass by uneventfully, getting all dolled up for a romantic dates with a boyfriend, the excitement of "new love", wishes for some grand exotic, expensive impulsive gesture of true love.
but as the years pass and you long for some of the sweetness and romance of yesterday's valentines day. but somehow you are unable to ever go back- you have learned love is about alot more than cheap cards and chalky conversation heart and gorgeously wrapped foil candies or even grand gestures. you know its about sacrifice and good times and bad. when you'd rather put money in your kids college savings plan than spend it on roses that die in a few days, when love means less time looking glamorous and more time picking up toys, and helping others.
right now tony bennett serenades me while i play with my boys and unload the dishwasher and make creme brulee for my husband and pay the bills and today i know more about love than i ever did.
I so agree with you! Bringing flowers or candy is not love. It's the day to day things. I tell dh that I want to have daily showings of love rather than something because society says you must show me you love me on this day.
ReplyDeleteOh! Les - you put it all into persepctive so well. Thank you for helping me get over some of my unrealististic expectations for "just another day".
ReplyDeleteYay, Les, for reminding us what's really important. And some big hugs to you!
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