Remember that special someone today!

I remember when I was a child and valentine’s day was so exciting. We got to go to the store and pick out our valentine cards to share with our classmates. Then we sat at the kitchen table and painstakingly signed each card and addressed each envelope. We came home from school the next day with a boatload of candy and a box full of Valentine’s from our fellow classmates.

Then in high school they would bring fresh cut flowers to the cafeteria that we could purchase at lunchtime for that special someone. I remember the giggling in the hallways and the endless guessing as to who purchased those secret flowers.

Then came our own children and I remember those tedious nights helping to decorate those valentine boxes. Of course there were prizes to be won for the best box and we had to be creative! I have decorated and constructed numerous boxes through the years!

Now, I am very content to not exchange valentine’s! My dear husband bought me a beautiful bouquet of fresh flowers and we will go out to dinner at my favorite restaurant. Oh how the years do change our perspective on things. I used to dread this holiday because of the work involved in making sure each child had done due diligence in writing out their cards. Thankfully, that era came to an end and now I can enjoy a peaceful dinner with my husband and just enjoy our time together.

It’s always nice to celebrate a special day with someone special when it’s not a birthday or an anniversary. That special loved one doesn’t need to be a spouse or a child or even a relative. A dear friend that you cherish is definitely worth celebrating with. As we go through this journey we call life, we find that true friends are few and far between. They are very hard to come by. To have a friend that you can share a secret or just enjoy sharing their company is a true treasure. One of my dearest friends that I have had was 30 years older than me! We just connected on a level that couldn’t really be defined. We spent many hours together discussing our plants and our love for our dogs and cats. She shared her most treasured family  shortbread cookie recipe with me and patiently taught me the “trick” of how to make it. When she was diagnosed with Parkinson disease, it was me she sought for comfort. I was able to help her through those very difficult days of accepting a terrible diagnosis but not accepting the defeat it could bring. We spent many years of close friendship before she passed away. I will always treasure those precious times. She gave me a pair of antique ducks that belonged to her mother and I display them on my fireplace mantle. As I see them sitting up there, I always think of my dear friend. She also gave me a set of pyrex bowls that was a wedding gift of hers. I use them often and fondly think of her.

The years have passed since those childish valentine’s, but the love for the dear friends and loved ones I consider to be my special valentine’s has remained.

Happy Valentine’s Day