2/14/23

I was thinking about Valentines Day and how it is such a commercialized holiday. It is so nice to celebrate people you love without spending money on crazy gifts. It is also nice to let those around you that may be struggling, know they aren’t alone. Unfortunately, we have a few people in our friend/ family group that are facing hardship.

I got thinking about the people in our lives that are struggling right now. I remember what it was like to be in survival mode and have a holiday thrown down your neck! I didn’t care. It was another day of the week. Each day was focused on surviving it. If I had a shower, that was a bonus.

Survival mode peals back so many layers of what is really important. Is it a $50 bouquet of flowers? Is it a diamond necklace? Or is it knowing your significant other/friend or child will wake up tomorrow and make it through another day?

To some, this holiday is extremely exciting. Maybe they found a new love of their life. To others, they are widowed and missing their significant other terribly. Some are celebrating a new baby, while others are fighting to live in the hospital.

To those just trying to survive the day to day activities, Valentine’s Day is just another day of the week.

Share love with the people that are struggling around you.  Let them know you care and that they are important. Share some encouraging words or picture that makes them smile temporarily.

Valentines Day for me was spent being grateful for the mundane day to day of our family. I was grateful to sit on the couch today with Paul before he scurried off to bowling. We were bantering back and forth, giving each other a hard time. It’s one of our favorite things to do.

I then said something very blunt and not very kind about a situation that was going on. It was a very jarring comment. I said it on purpose because I knew it would illicit a reaction from Paul. His response to my horrific and morbid comment was “ Oh my God! That is terrible! You should never work for Hallmark!” His comment made me laugh, probably more than I should have.

That is when I realized that the comment Paul made was my gift. It was my moment in time where Paul and I shared a laugh. I really liked that gift. 

My other gift what when I made Ethan smile. He gets a half smile on his face and makes a little snort noise. He did this when I showed him I had decorated Jiminy for Valentines Day.  Sometimes the little things ARE the big things!

Happy Valentines Day. Hug your loved ones and let them know how special they are. You never know if it will be the last time you ever see them.

On a less depressing note, I made 10,000 steps today. It is the first time since my back surgery last month. Woo hoo!