I've always loved this day, maybe because growing up in the lower-middle class it was the first holiday after Christmas that made the end caps at our local Tom Thumb change out, and in would appear the boxes of candy hearts, cherry flavored suckers, and foil wrapped chocolate hearts. Our January seemed quite gray, (of course there was no room in the budget for winter trips with four kids in our family on a custodian's budget), & the arrival of those shiny red hearts made a little excitement begin to erupt.
Sure, there was the painstaking reminders of the "have nots" once I entered junior high and then high school. The flower sales at lunch and deliveries to our classrooms that never seemed to have my name on them. I wasn't exactly an early bloomer, lets be serious. The sweat pants I wore to school every day just so that I could sleep in class probably didn't help my cause too much either. (Credit where credit is due, I own it.) :)
Not having a boyfriend ever during those years never bothered me too much as I knew once I got home there would be something small, and something special that reminded me tangibly I was valued and cherished. It wasn't about the amount spent on us, it was just the fact that something was different and someone went out of their way to make us feel loved on that special day. My Dad would come in with his work boots, his grease stained hands, and set up flowers on the table for my mom. Oh the whoops and hollers that gesture would emit from three little girls! The "Ooooh Someone has a boyfriend," banter would immediately begin. There was always a beautiful card for her with the simply words, "Love, Gary", on it that somehow seemed worded just perfectly.
My first memorable Valentine's, I must have been 8 years old. We arrived home from school to see a beautiful bouquet of flowers for my mom and three large satin hearts filled with chocolates on the table. I thought "what was my Mom going to do with that much chocolate?" I hadn't realized yet that my Dad had bought those boxes for his little girls. That type of gift seemed far too elaborate and fancy in my mind for us 3 girls. I mean a satin heart, real fabric, and a silk flower attached to the ribbon. We are talking major fanciness in three elementary girls' minds. It was a "grown up" gift to me, having an entire box of chocolates for myself was a luxury beyond luxury. I kept that satin box for a very long time, because of the way it made me feel. Apparently it meant more to that little 8 year old as I have kept the picture in my mind for the last 32 years.
Altruistically, we shouldn't need a Valentine's Day to make those in our lives feel valued and treasured. I applaud those that every day is "Valentine's Day." They are overly intentional with their daily appreciations; in word, acts of service, and little things they "pick up" for those they love. Yes, you are amazing.
However many of us if we were honest, need a little satin wrapped shove to break up the "day in and day out" and let those whose hearts we've been entrusted with see that we are grateful, and they do matter. Parents you may have little ones watching that are impacted far beyond what the frivolous meaning of a seemingly silly bouquet of flowers is. Do something extra, or say something extra, buy a little something extra.
Make them feel special, it always matters.
Corithians 13:13 "Now these 3 things remain; faith, hope & love. But the greatest of these is love."
