Be My Valentine.

I remember the agony of high school on Valentine's day. You could put a Valentine in a box at school and at some point during the day the Sixth Year kids would come round and deliver them. The agony of wondering if I would get one and if so who it would be from. The crushing certainty that the 'it' girls would get at least four apiece. Several years were spent pretending I didn't care with all the other cardless in the room. Then one year the biggest envelope in the basket was for me - it was a moment of excruciating embarrassment and immeasurable triumph. All previous years pain erased by that bright pink envelope. It is only now that I see how disturbing the whole scenario was.

So, the grade school approach of one for everyone in the class soothes me. Knowing that the girls will have several years before the soul scaring ritual of waiting and hoping starts - is comforting. The comfort makes me uncomfortable.
This holiday likely causes more sadness, sorrow and loneliness than any other - a huge part of me wants no part of it.
The Husband and I opted out a long time ago. We don't make dinner reservations because we found restaurants inflating their prices for this day. We make our cards and share little homemade or edible treats. We keep it simple and we make it about love. Love for our family, friends, our neighbors, the school bus driver, the crossing guard - we make it a day of expressing our love for our 'village'. It's nice. I have a happy glow. I want to turn the tide.
It shouldn't be exclusive. Sure feel free to celebrate with your sweetie but let's not do it to the exclusion of all others. Stop by an elderly neighbor today and bring a muffin or some chocolate. Tell the post man you appreciate him. Wave a car out. I think you'll get a smile in return.

Smile sweetly when your eight year old tells you at 7.05am that she was supposed to bring a treat for a party at school today.
(No mention of that while we made 24 Valentines over the last few days.) Feel the glow when you manage to pull off providing 24 treats by the 7.30 am departure for the school bus. One animal cracker each totally counts.

I have about four years left to bring this whole Valentine's thing back into scale. Join me?