Little things

I have been thinking a lot of what a real valentine is this week as I see ad after ad after ad about what to give to show love. Diamonds, flowers, chocolate covered berries, cards that bloom, candlelit dinners, vacations to Greece (ok, made that one up) are all there. The expectations can be gigantic and the disappointments the same if that is what VD is to you. I admit, when I was much younger, and more romantically inclined, I craved some of those things, too. Now it is a little different.

Some of the greatest gifts of Valentines Day are so much less costly than what I see and hear from the ads and so much more meaningful. Who doesnt love the roughly cut red construction paper heart with the glued on doily lovingly handed to you by a little child? or the single blossom presented to you while the dinner is cooking and you are setting the table and the kids are noisy? The small things are better than the grandiose and, I believe, we should show our love to our sweethearts all the time, not just one day of the year, with valentines from the heart.

My Aunt Carole always called her husband Darlin'. That is a valentine. My father's signature on cards he gives my mother is almost always "Always and Forever". That is a valentine. My brother-in-law, to this day, always brings my sister her coffee in bed. A valentine. My own husband will go outside and scrape the ice and snow from my car whether he has to be up and out himself or not. A valentine. There are so many more things than what we see on tv or in the mall that mean love. Think back. A fistful of dandelions. The stronger than possible hug of a toddler. The excitement of holding hands for the first time. The whisper of I love you. The surprise ice cream sundae. The private joke that always always makes you smile. The music of the shared giggles of your teenagers. Valentines all and little things that dont come in heart shaped boxes.

In as much as I wish to travel to Greece, or toast an anniversary in Tuscany, or dance at the top of the Empire State Building, I crave the real symbols of love that come from the heart.

There was an old song that touched on this premise, about thoughtfulness. It has the line, "give her your heart to rely on". The song is called Little Things Mean A Lot. They do.

p.s. I will try to put my favorite rendition of this song on here, if I can figure it out!!