So, it's Valentine's Day

I have to confess, I don't get too excited over Valentine's day.  Never cared for it much.

I remember when we were in grade school and we would buy those packets of valentines cards to hand out to classmates.  I hated that, not because I didn't want to give one to each of them, but because I worried that I would get one back.  You see, in those days you were not required to make sure each kid got one, (although my mom made sure we had one for each child).   We knew the 'popular kids' would be getting bunches, while the rest of us...well...not so much.  It was a very unsettling occasion. 

Yes, there were always some in my box, but not always from the most popular.  And, since each card was signed, you knew exactly where you stood with your classmates.
I always thought it was a mean, unkind way to celebrate a day that was supposed to revolve around love. 

My hometown was by no means affluent, we were miners, and steel workers.  Some families lived on the constant edge of poor, and handing out valentines was a thing some kids wished they could do.  As a result, I was thankful my mom always made sure each of us had a card to hand out to everybody, because if she had not some of the kids in my class would not have had a single card in their boxes.   Imagine how you would have felt?

By the time my kids were handing out valentines, schools had changed the rules,
you had to have a card for every child, and a list was sent home with the names of everybody in the class, so you knew how many packets of cards to buy.  There was no discrimination allowed.  There would be a little party with cookies and such, and the kids would come home with their little pile of cards.  I think perhaps they were looked at once or twice, but mostly they were in the trash by the end of the week.  I've often wondered about this ritual...what the heck is really the point?

Anyway, as I grew older, I could see the Valentine's Day holiday hype was meant for retailers who raked in the big bucks selling those little packets of cards, big boxes of chocolates, and dozens of red roses (that died in a week and went to the trash).  Oh, and worst of all were those exciting expectations you might get a diamond engagement ring...maybe...but mostly maybe not...while you are in some expensive restaurant dining on steak and lobster.  Which by the way, leaves a lot of girlfriends bewildered and dejected. mostly because of the 'maybe  not'.    Let's face this is a mean, sad, perplexing, dumbfounding, baffling day.

As a result, this is the tale I tell.  Don't wait for a holiday to tell someone you care.  If you want them to know that you love them, send them flowers for 'just because', or a card to say "hello, I hope you're well", or phone them because you want to hear their voice.

Holidays are rare, the people in your life deserve to know day by day they are valued, thought of, and cared about.  And, if you're busy and time flies by, simply lift your voice and pray...Please, Lord, be with my loved ones today.