If I were going to write about hearts and love and Valentine’s Day, it needed to be this week. By next Thursday I’d have missed the moment. In my organized structured way, I was going to offer you some background. That turned out not to be as sweet and lovely as I had wished. The Catholic (the saintly group) website I settled on instead of Wikipedia led me a convoluted chase from decapitation to banishment by the Pope to finally a story one could tell at bedtime to young susceptible children. Just so you know, I’m in favor of the day, wholeheartedly, to make a pun. Who could not love hugs, bright colors, and chocolate except a Grinch and he has already been assigned to Christmas.
I love (the word of choice) Valentine’s Day because for most of my life it involved creativity, individuality, and an acceptable amount of messiness, maybe even some glitter. My mother would put layers of newspaper on the dining room table and give me scissors (oh, joy), red and white paper, colored markers, and glue. The glorious addition was several of the punched, almost lacey, doilies that went on dessert plates the rest of the year. I just needed to leave enough blank space to write the To and From names. More tender messages came later down the road. While the Valentines were drying – an important step, do not stack wet Valentines, I could then move on to the shoe box which every child brought to school. More decorating, and some help was required to punch a starting place to cut the deposit slit in the top. On February 14, cards were delivered to the correct boxes which sat on the corner of a desk until time for cupcakes and revealing the contents.
The day did have up and down moments. I yearned one year for a heart that said, “Love,” with a boy’s name and that did not happen. Situations like that even brought tears in some eighth grade classes. Younger groups I taught wanted to hand over each card with a kiss, and the affirmation, “I made it myself.” One of my favorites was store bought by one of my children and said, “If I promise to always put the scissors back where I found them, will you be my Valentine?” The answer was a definite YES!
I had a waffle iron that could be used on a stove top and turned out six crispy heart shapes. With strawberries and syrup, they started that special morning with a way for me to say, “I am doing this for you.” All through the day the word LOVE needs to echo. To like can create a favorite thing. To love expands, fills space, and moves any relationship to a new level on February 14 or 364 other days. Think of answering the door to receive a bouquet of colored balloons tied with streaming ribbons. Historically, you can look at a man named Valentine from various sides. Just don’t mess with what those floating balloons mean to me.
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians13:13
Let Me Tell Ya 