Won't You Be My Valentine?

When I was a kid in elementary school, I used to get so excited around Valentine's Day.  I loved shopping with my mom for the perfect box or boxes of Valentine cards so I could make sure each student in my class would get a card.  But I also remember sitting in the living room floor reading each card that was intended for a boy and trying hard to pick one that wouldn't suggest that I liked him like that.  Or that the other kids wouldn't say, "Ooooh!"  Each year finding the right cards became harder, but I still enjoyed those fun times.  I also enjoyed when the teacher let us go around the room and pass out our cards and place them inside of our own paper hearts made from paper plates or construction paper along with candy hearts and other treats.  Again, fun times.

As I got older the meaning of "Valentine's Day" took on a new connotation, one that basically meant that if you weren't dating someone or had guys fawning over you, you probably weren't going to get those roses they sold at school for $1 or some huge teddy bear or super sized card.  All of a sudden Valentine's Day wasn't fun anymore and became a regular day.

Then one day my dad decided to be my Valentine.  He always bought flowers and/or candy for my mom and took her out to dinner, but this time he gave me a flower and started giving me my own miniature box of Valentine candy.  I wondered why?  I mean, a dad as a Valentine was clearly not the same.  He's supposed to love you and all.  And now in retrospect, I understand as I put together many things he's said to me over the years.  One of those things is that parents should strive to be a model to their kids of what love is and how relationships should work so that the children should have a standard of what is right in their own personal relationships.

I've always known my parents loved me.  I've always known I was a "daddy's girl."  And I know that when my dad did those special things on Valentine's Day, it was his way of showing how much he understood what I was feeling in my heart, even when he never said a word.  And that's love.

Even though my dad can't call me today and say, "Happy Valentine's Day!" I  still got a very special Valentine's Day card from one of my students that made me smile.

 
So, even though my Daddy isn't here with me for Valentine's Day, hopefully I will be able to see him soon and whisper into his ear, "Happy Belated Valentine's Day, Daddy!"

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XOXO,

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