Wednesday, February 14, 2007

HAPPY VALENTINE"S DAY

I have mixed feelings about Valentine's Day. It is a great day to show your love for other people, but how many of us really do that? We get caught up in eating chocolate and buying an overpriced card at Hallmark. But do we really give thanks for those we love and who love us? Our understanding of Valentine's day is so narrow that we are often disappointed. It's a lot like New Year's Eve for me. A lot of hoopla with a disappointed feeling at the end. I never seem to get to celebrate the day with my boyfriend. I do "celebrate" with my parents usually. Tonight, we will exchange cards and I am making dinner. It should be nice and hopefully special. I think that we should make more days like Valentine's Day. Perhaps, not everyday, but frequently we should stop to tell those why we love them. I recently did a story for the newspaper about a woman who decorates her house in January and makes dozens of cookies for her friends. She observes Valentine's Day all month long.

I like this video that I posted from Korea because it shows that love does not have to be between two people who know each other. A hug between strangers can mean more than a hug between best friends. Despite all the troubles in the world, it's important to show that we care for one another's well-being. I don't want to sound preachy. Writing this is a good way for me to remind myself what's important to me.

So, I hope that this Valentine's Day opens your eyes to how much love there is in the world and how much you are loved.


Quote:
"I love you not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you. I love you not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me. I love you for the part of me that you bring out."
--Elizabeth Barrett Browning

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