Words Matter: A Different Valentine's Day Perspective!

Valentine's Day. It came and it went. I braced myself for it for weeks. Every time I walked into a store, there was no avoiding the sea of red. Shelves full of hearts and cards and flowers and candy. I took a deep breath in and plowed full steam ahead to get whatever it was I had walked in for. It was a mad dash to get out of there as quickly as possible.

It was interesting that it stirred up those emotions in me. You see, Bunky's birthday falling on February 13th, the day before, usually meant there was a dimmer spotlight on Valentine's Day. His thoughts about V day were basically that it is a "Hallmark holiday" and that if you love someone, well then, you should show them that EVERY day…not on a day making money off your emotions.

Does that mean he didn't participate? Of course he did. Reluctantly. He usually got me flowers of some kind, maybe some chocolate, but always a card. The card was always what I really wanted the most. He knew that. Unbelievably, I found my Valentine's card from him from last year in a drawer the other day when I was looking for a flashlight. It even had 2013 written on it. I'm so thankful I didn't throw it away. Here's what he wrote inside the card:

Missy-

 Thank you for being my best friend in life. You are an awesome mother. 

I have the utmost respect for your patience and influence with our boys.

You really amaze me! I am very fortunate to be blessed by God 

to have you as my wife.

Thank you for being you! I love you more everyday and cannot imagine life without you.

With all my love,

Bunky

I will treasure this forever. I'm thankful he took the time to get a card and to write in it. I'm thankful I found it at just the right time.

So, the actual day came and my boys were amazing. They gave me cards, flowers, and a box of chocolate (some friends helped out with this…thank you). In the card, Carson wrote, "We will get through this together." Now, that choked me up! Those 3 boys are going to take good care of me, because their daddy showed them what it looked like to do that well. I'm grateful for that. Otherwise, I had lunch with some of my favorite girlfriends, received lots of flowers, gifts, and chocolate. My neighbor even joked that my kitchen island looked like a florist shop! Then, my parents came in town for the weekend that evening. I think I just kept myself so busy, that it seemed to go by quickly. It also probably had something to do with the fact that Bunky's birthday was a very long, emotional day for me and there just weren't a lot of tears left. 

My perspective is different now. I couldn't agree with Bunky's beliefs more. Valentine's Day IS just a big ole red-hearted, candy crazed, commercialized day, where expectations are high. Where many go out and spend lots of money on things that just "waste" away- to say what? "I love you?" I would take a heart-felt card that was just given for no good reason, over those things any day. This is what speaks to someone's heart and makes them feel loved and cherished…your words, NOT your candy or flowers. 

Words matter. 

Speak them. 

Write them.

Type them. 

Share them. 

Take the opportunity to communicate your love to those who hold your heart. You won't be sorry! Every day could be your last. Have you left your words to be cherished? I'm sure glad Bunky did.