Valentine's Day Not Just A "Hallmark" Holiday

I was always a sucker for Valentine’s Day. The frilly boxes of chocolate, the cute cards, the flowers and the idea of having a forever Valentine lulled me into this Hallmark generated “holiday.”

Then I got married.

The romantic Valentine’s Day took on a whole new meaning. The first few years, I went out and bought a little something. I looked forward to getting roses and a card. I didn't expect a lot, although I liked getting a little extra something.

Then we had kids.

Last year, my husband gave me a card and flowers. I don't think we did anything special. The last 18 months have been fuzzy. If I remember, we had cold steak with a crying baby on each of our laps.

But Valentine’s Day hasn’t had the same impact on me as it did. It just seems like another day.

Lately, I’ve been getting those mushy feelings about Valentine’s Day again. What has inspired those warm fuzzy feelings again was watching a couple have dinner at a local fast food restaurant recently.

It was about 4 p.m. and I was working at a booth when the couple, who looked to be in their 60s, walked past me and sat down in the booth directly in front of me. I didn’t notice them at first, but they caught my eye after a few mintues.

They sat on the same side of the booth, right next to each other, their arms brushing each other as they ate. Then they shared their dessert.

Ahhhh, I thought. I wondered how long they’d been married. I wondered if they always sat next to each other in the booth. It was so sweet.

I think the sentiment and romance of Valentine’s Day should be practiced everyday, like that couple I saw.

Don't get me wrong, I think it's romantic when my husband does dishes, but the fact is the days get so busy that your head sometimes feels like it’s going to spin all the way around. There isn’t time , it seems, to take a breath much less do think about romance.

So I’m glad there’s a special day dedicated to love.

It’s a good chance to just show your appreciation and love to your spouse or significant other, your kids, friends or those relatives whose help you couldn’t live without.  

You can express yourself with a hug, a single red rose or a mushy card. It doesn’t have to be extravagant. The idea is to show your love to those you love. It’s such a simple yet powerful sentiment.