Growing up, I always loved opening my bedroom door on Valentine’s day morning to find a sweet little Valentine from my Mom and Dad awaiting me.  I remember how special it made me feel and the smile it inevitably brought to my face.  At school, the mailboxes we’d made out of old shoe boxes stood at the edge of our desks and a rainbow of Valentine’s made of pink and red construction paper, Elmer’s glue, glitter and doilies floated around the room.  I loved it.  I loved creating these little letters for friends and people I didn’t know very well and the way it forced us to appreciate something about each person in our classroom. I loved the way it made us see how we love and the way we show it towards one another.

Today, I still love Valentine’s day.  I know some people think it’s a silly Hallmark holiday and that doing something special or appreciating the person we love most should not be reserved for one day, but rather be something we do daily.  And, in that respect, I couldn’t agree more. But, I love Valentine’s day because it designates a time to appreciate one another in a way that is difficult to ignore.  It can be so easy to get caught up in life and to let the unimportant take over what is most important.  But, on one day a day is dedicated to love and appreciating that love.  And not just the love of my life, but the love in every person’s life and that, to me, only makes the world feel like it’s a little warmer and more loving place to live, which in my mind, can only be a good thing.

Happy Valentine’s day to you and the one you love.