Typically Valentine’s Day is a quiet holiday for us. We say I love you. The hubbie might bring home flowers. He might even buy me that grill pan I’ve been coveting. I’ll make him a card. But, we’ve both agreed we’d rather express our love daily rather than only on the 14th of February. Our love is through the simple things - the nine loads of laundry that disappeared while I was working, the skinny extra-hot grande mocha delivered to breakup his workday, the friendly evening competition over Jeopardy (at which, by the way, I kicked his derriere last night. It was the teen tournament but a victory nonetheless). Our unassuming celebration leaves few tales to spin -no romantic whirlwinds or spectacular gifts. But I do have a Valentine’s story to share - a brief moment from my childhood.
I was a teenager; fourteen-years-old. I did not receive a single thing for Valentine’s Day. Nothing from my parents. Nothing from a boy. Dejected I used my allowance to buy a heart-shaped box of chocolates. If nobody else was going to love me I was determined to love myself. My family then loaded into our van and we left for a weekend trip. The chocolates provided much needed consolation (as only chocolate can). I savored them and ate only two wanting to extend the pleasure through the entire weekend. Vegas was our halfway point. We chose a cheap hotel off the strip to spend the night.
As often happens in Vegas our van was broken into. And, no, the thieves did not steal my chocolates. Much, much worse. They stepped on them. My gift to myself, my heart, was stomped into the ground. I felt so small, so violated and completely unloved by the entire universe. The world was utterly against me.
What the universe did not tell me was that later that year I’d receive my first real kiss. And in a mere five years time I’d meet the man who was to be my husband and the father of my children. Nearly twenty years later we are still going strong.
The moral of my story? You may feel unloved and despised by the world. But know beautiful things and beautiful people are just around the bend.
Happy Hearts Day Everyone!
Don't forget to check out Love Thursday at Shutter Sisters!
8 comments:
this is so absolutely beautiful.
thank you!
Such a wonderful story. I was sad right along with your 14 year old self. They steeped on your chocolates! :( The moral was beautiful.
That is a great story. Very sad, but inspiring and hopeful!
My husband says the same thing about showing our love "everday," and that Valentine's Day is just the same! Nice.
i never knew about that! this blog is fun... i get to find out all kinds "new" things about you. very sweet.
stomped on! that's dreadful! but you're so right, alone today does not mean alone forever. this was a lovely story and i'm glad i got to read it. thanks for sharing.
Awww, what a sweet message!
(The 'daily expression of love' you talk about in the beginning really resonates here. I hate being told what to do and what to feel on a particular day, just so the economy can move some heart-shaped cardboard boxes and plastic-wrapped roses around.)
Thanks for reading "our story!" Now that you "know" people here, you'll have to come back!!
What a great reminder. Thank you.
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