Will You Be My Valentine

That day has rolled around again, the day which normal people are forced to be sappy in love goons. I'm not much on this day, in fact, it was drilled into my head for 12 lovely years that, it's a Hallmark Holiday and nothing more. Every heart felt feeling that I had was to be washed down with the bitter fact that I would not be shown anything extra that day.

I fondly remember the days when I was young and we would make mail boxes out of cereal boxes and decorate them with hearts and hang them at the front of our desks in grade school. I wasn't very good at making those hearts but it didn't take away from the excitement of that day. We would go to the store and get small paper notes with "Will you be mine Valentine?" on them. They would have puppies or kitties or just big hearts. I would neatly address them and wait for the day. The day of love and perhaps a sweet heart shaped candy sucker. Gosh, I loved that!

Those days of youth have gone and so has the Hallmark Holidays guy. I was not prepared for what happen this Valentine day, this time it was different. We were in the car and a ad came on the radio about giving a loved one something special. I looked at Ken asked him in a kinda cool voice if he wanted a card for the love fest day. He looked at me and said in a sad voice...I at least deserve a card don't I?

I realized then that I was about to make him turn that day into something that I was forced to do so long ago...nothing more, nothing extra..just another day. So, in a middle of a snow storm I went out , hell bent on doing the love thing. I wanted to make this day special for him and that was that.

I bought not just one but two cards. I found the biggest heart shaped box of candy I could afford and a mug to show him just how much I cared. Then I realized something, it's not the stuff you buy but it's the act itself that shows someone on that day you care a little extra. You cared to go out and do something, so it doesn't matter how small or large of gift it is.

I wrapped and hid it all but the thing that made this day so very special was that Ken had bought me the exact same heart shaped box of candy. We had a good laugh over that. He also gave me a card and some lovely flowers. He didn't have to do any of that since he had already given me something, something very special and something I will always cherish. He gave me Valentine's Day back.