Another Valentine's Day has passed and it is interesting as I reflect about how much has shifted for me since last Valentine's Day. Okay, last year I happily trekked to Target and bought some of my favorite things as a way of honoring myself on Valentine's. I spouted about how it doesn't matter whether men participate in this very marketed day and how women should just expect nothing. I might have changed my tune ever so slightly. Alright, although it is a Hallmark day for sure, there is something sweet about a day that is all about the heart. I loved seeing red hearts everywhere and my five year old was so extremely excited to go to school Monday because he was anticipating his Valentine's Day party. My kids came home from school yesterday with their bags full of cards and candy and they were over joyed by the simplicity of giving and receiving Valentine's. They were even excited to give me the homemade cards they had made expressing how much they love me and saying "you're the bestest mommy in the whole wide world." Hey, even if Valentine's Day is over marketed, I don't care because it is a day to truly honor love. Should we honor love every day? Of course...but one day purely dedicated to paying homage to love is alright with me. Now, even though I have come to expect nothing on Valentine's (thus no pressure for any man I might be dating), I was happily surprised when a man I am seeing said, "We are celebrating Valentine's Day!" I wasn't sure that I had heard him correctly at first. "Say what?" Yes indeed...I had heard correctly and it turns out that some men out there willingly (and without hints or coercion) participate in Valentine's Day. That was a nice surprise. By the way, that is a far cry from another guy I was chatting with at some point who told me that he stops dating during the month of February so as to avoid Valentine's Day altogether. I think I prefer the romantic. I am a hopeless romantic after all and even though I would never put pressure on anyone to celebrate Valentine's, it sure warmed my heart when my date wanted to celebrate honoring the heart with me. He even took it a step further and gave me the traditional dozen roses....which impressed me immensely. Nothing wrong with traditional after all because there is something completely chivalrous about it really. I'm very glad that I expected nothing however because anything I received was a complete surprise and totally appreciated. Symbolically, the image for this blog of a heart drawn in the snow, says it all really. Love can melt our hearts, keep us warm through the coldest nights and give us hope. “Love is of all passions the strongest, for it attacks simultaneously the head, the heart and the senses"...(Lao Tzu). Here's to another year of honoring the energy of love and may every day be Valentine's Day.
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