Girlie is in first grade and Valentine's day is a big deal to her. She made all of her cards this year herself with some red construction paper, crayons, and a few googly eyes. Everyone in the class got one, and a few of her besties got special notes and sparkly stuff. They'll be having a little party at school and to her nothing is more exciting than the prospect of sugary treats and small cups of juice with matching napkins. I think we all loved Valentines day as children.
These days though, it isn't really cool to love sappy things. Maybe it all starts in high school. If you didn't have a significant in your life, you were doomed to getting flowers and chocolates from your parents, or worse, none at all. The forced equality so important in elementary school is tossed aside and the cheese basically stands alone. I get that. Being a top member of the debate team (and a member of the science club, but I swear it was for my college applications), I didn't always have a guy on February 14th. Eventually, as adults, we scoff the commercialism and forced nature of a day meant to proclaim heartfelt feelings. We lose sight of the six year old with the red construction paper.
Somehow, in college, another slice of cheese and I found each other and have been together ever since. On Valentine's Day, I overlook the mounds of tacky proclamations. Though I am likely to be snarky about other things, I don't feel annoyed by the roadside rose stands. Now that we are old married folk, we usually avoid the pricey reservations and we don't always make a huge deal about it. But I never let it go by without a little something special for my guy. Maybe it's easier for me, I haven't been without a Valentine for 18 years!
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