Most of you know that I hate this holiday. I loathe it like the Grinch loathes Christmas. If you’re single, you are reminded of it repeatedly all day long as your friends get surprised with beautiful flowers delivered to their offices & lovely dinners while you contemplate what you and your annual bottle of wine will do with the evening. It makes your heart long for something that you don’t have. You also realize the next day that you’ve gained 5 pounds because of all the chocolate you let yourself indulge in to make the day better. My heart gets all Grinchy just thinking about it.
Valentine’s Day rocks if you’re not single right?! WRONG! There’s an unspoken expectation following this holiday that astounds me. If you’re dating or married then you spend days (maybe even weeks) before this dreaded day trying to think up SOMETHING wonderful to surprise your Valentine with. Then, if all your planning doesn’t elicit the reaction you were hoping for you walk away in bitter disappointment AND in the dog house. Nice.
I wrote a blog last night for Valentine’s Day that automatically posted this morning. But then…the most amazing thing happened as we went to start our day. We opened the front door to find a trail of beautifully handcrafted little valentines lining our sidewalk and hanging in our (previously frozen & mostly dead) bushes. At first, we thought for sure this was something our parents had done. They are always very careful to look out for us on this holiday by making sure that we aren’t left out. It’s sweet and always much appreciated. Just once maybe my mom would go over the top and get us a couple of single, normal, wonderful men in big red bows! Yipee! Anyways…I digress. Glitter, scrapbook paper, ribbon adorned each little note. They all had so much love poured into them! As we turned each one over we realized that they weren’t just decorations but instead they were notes from friends and family. Crisite and I were truly and completely touched by everyone’s kind words. I know that tears were in my eyes while I read though them. Geez I’ve been turned into a sap!
My mom let the secret out this morning when she told us that our friend Sarah was responsible for our Valentine’s Day yard attack. Armed with glitter and a glue stick she gave us a gift that came from the heart. It was an overwhelming, thoughtful and completely unexpected twist to the day. Thank you Sarah for your amazing friendship. Even though we lost touch over the years I am so blessed to have been able to reconnect with you. I knew even way back in elementary school that you’d be one of the most incredible people I’d ever meet (even if you ARE moving to Arizona for a stinky boy soon). Maybe (just maybe, lol) this will change my thoughts about this wretched holiday.
A look at what a little glitter can accomplish!
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