Ode to Valentine’s Day

Every year since I was a child, I have looked toward Valentine’s Day with some glimmer of hope because let’s face it, I am an optimist and a glutton for punishment. I hold out for hope that this year I will get a box full of cards in my rudely made elementary Valentine’s box. I hold out for hope that this year I will get a big box of chocolates, dinner out, a dozen roses, or a puppy (my first choice) from my boyfriend, husband, secret admirer?
Every year I am presented with the same outcome – nothing. I am not disappointed by that, au contraire’, I have lowered my expectations of Valentine’s Day to zero, so I get exactly what I knew I would get, and therefore, no disappointments. Still I stay optimistic despite overwhelming odds to the opposite.
In elementary school in the sixties we were not as “aware” as a people that we are today. We were actually unaware of a lot of things, thankfully we have changed over the decades. For instance, on Valentine’s Day we all made our little homemade shoe boxes for our classmates to deposit cards inside. However, in those days you did not have to give a card to everyone in your class. You could just give a card to those you liked. As shocking of a surprise as I’m sure this is, I was not miss popular in my elementary classes. I was usually that kid that stands alone on the playground entertaining myself mentally with made up stories in my head. Surprising, I know. To this day, I’m still my favorite company.
When the big day came and we had our Valentine’s party in school, all the kids delighted in dumping out their piles of cards onto their desktops, picking off the candy treats that had been carefully taped onto the back of each card. I would watch as just a few dropped onto my desktop, a couple from friends and a few from kids whose moms made them give everyone a card. Thank you to those moms. I shoved my few cards back into the box and waited for the cupcakes to be passed around.
In my junior high days I recall that you could buy a rose or a giant heart Valentine’s cookie from the office and have it delivered to your special Valentine at school. I’d watch as this girl and that guy would get one or the other and kids would make plans to go to the dance that evening at the school. The cookies looked really good and I often wondered if I could just go in and buy a cookie for myself. I didn’t. I do think I went to the dance with a girlfriend or two as I loved to dance in those days. I still do, my body just doesn’t think it’s such a great idea anymore.
In high school we moved to a new town, a smaller town. I met my future husband and my Valentine’s Day gift hopes were renewed! I asked him recently if he remembered getting me anything for Valentine’s Day when we were in high school and his response was “probably”. I’m not sure if he did either, so I’ll give him a pass on high school because I can say without a doubt that since then, it’s been zero. There’s a reason I call him “Mr. Romance.”
One of the benefits of having children, besides all of the obvious, is that over the years they make you cute little cards and gifts on special days, like Valentine’s Day. I have been given many handmade gifts and cards over the years, often with a piece of candy taped or glued onto them from my children. These cards and gifts were made with pure love, there is no greater gift. Now I have grandchildren who make gifts and cards for their parents made with that same unconditional love. It renews my hope in Valentine’s Day.
As for Mr. Romance, this year I will expect nothing like usual, and I am sure I will not be disappointed. He eats lunch out every day while doing his carpentry work, so he doesn’t like to go out for dinner. He knows I am not big on candy or flowers, or jewelry, and I have Kutter and Jazzy for the “puppy” department of my all time favorite things. Then what is he left with after all, you might ask. You know, you are just enabling his behavior.
If you know me at all, and HE should, you know I love technology and gadgets. I have Hue bulbs throughout the house (except in his rooms, he is the opposite) I have Alexa running things and keeping track of stuff for me in various rooms, I have a smart watch, an android phone and an old iPad. I have both Android and Apple products so I have the best of both worlds covered. Notice I said OLD iPad. That was a hint for Mr. Romance. I need a new one. I have no expectations of him buying me one for Valentine’s Day, but I thought I could throw it out there just in case. Remember, I am still an optimist.
If you are lucky and you married or are dating a romantic soul who treats you on Valentine’s Day to make you feel special, I’m happy for you. Enjoy the day! I won’t even flinch at all the posts on Facebook you are going to post showing the roses you got, the box of chocolates you are enjoying, the dinner you wined and dined on. Nope, I will be happy for each and every one of you, I promise.
I do, however, feel sad for all the singles out there who don’t have someone making that day a special one for them. I’m really surprised that the local towns don’t include a singles event when they plan their Valentine’s Day activities. After all, married couples already have someone. What better day than Valentine’s Day to invite area singles to meet up and have a chance to get to spend an evening mingling with other singles? Opportunity missed I say. After all St. Valentine, who the day is named for, believed in love. Why not bring together people who might find a new love? That to me is the spirit of Valentine’s Day.
For my Valentine’s Day I may take myself out to lunch, I may go to a movie, and I may buy something special just for me, not an iPad, too pricey for bank account. Self-love is a good thing for the soul too and if you don’t have a special someone or if you are also married to a Mr. Romance, you should do something nice for yourself too on Valentine’s Day.
While Valentine’s Day is supposed to be this big day of love and romance just remember, St. Valentine was executed for those beliefs in love on February 14th, so there’s that, but enjoy your day.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Until Next Time…
Toni

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