Valentines Day....

I have mixed thoughts about Valentines Day.  I know it comes from a very racy background in the Pagan religion and I know it was messed in with the Catholic church to help assimilate pagans converts.  That being said, it is in a great time of the year in my reasoning... It is getting dull and everyday in the winter after the big holiday season.  Then comes Valentine's day... some young/(maybe older too... but young ones share SO MUCH on facebook that I see their posts about being lonely on Valentine's day) lament about being lonely on Valentine's day.  In my reasoning, this holiday is just an excuse to remember to tell those around you that you LOVE them...

For that reason I like the holiday.... life gets busy and we often forget to say I LOVE YOU!  I am blessed that my dad died 3 days after Valentines day.  Blessed, yep, you see I got to give him some yellow roses on that day set aside to remember love.  I didn't often stop in unexpectedly to see my dad, but that day I picked up roses and stopped by to see him.  It was a quick stop, but it did mean a lot to him.  Turns out it meant more to me... when you lose someone, I think there is always a little bit of guilt or wishes for a "do over" to say you love them (my dad died unexpectedly, this may not be the case of someone who knows they are passing on)  So when I got the call, the days after I was able to remember I stopped by, with those yellow roses and he knew that I loved him.  I know he knew that I loved him, but it eased my broken heart that it was just a couple days earlier that I was able to show him that I loved him.  It was a gift for me, much more then a gift for him.
So for that reason, I love Valentine's day and hope to remember to let those closest to me that I love them, I take a bit of time out of my schedule, set it aside and say... I love you!  This year I am making goodies for my mom, my boys and my husband.  I am working on little homemade treats to make just to say I love you!  A card works just as well,  or a note or a poem... It is not the cost it is truly the thought, the heart... those flowers for my dad were from a corner vendor... cheap, drooped in a day or two... it made his day!  Take a moment to say I love you to those whom you care about this Valentines day.. No one is too busy to make a call or send a card!
You never know it could be the best gift you ever gave yourself!

On the practical side, I am making chocolate covered pretzels, sugared fruit rind candies, peanut butter spread and Victorian cards for my family... I am making pink and chocolate chip waffles for breakfast and some Amish friendship bread (chocolate with some peanut butter spread) for some friends.  Nothing much... but sure to let them know I thought of them!