This year just like every other year Mr B is singing love songs to other women. WHAT?  No worries, he sings with a barbershop quartet and each year other husbands ( and clever wives) hire them to sing to their sweeties, Mom’s, kids or best friends. They sing in office complexes, homes, and even locker rooms. They sing outside in gardens, in parks, or in a foyer. They spread love along with candy and a nifty rose to the target sweetie or significant other. Does this bother me? Nope. He sometimes leaves a handwritten note before he leaves for the day, a card in an unlikely place, or a text in the middle of the day. I know where his heart is.

Valentines Day isn’t a big deal to me. It hasn’t been since high school. I had crushes and wished for special cards, flowers, tokens of love. I didn’t always receive them. In those early years I was sometimes devastated that the object of my affection didn’t care enough to send me a Hallmark card because he didn’t care enough to send the very best, the stinker. So I learned early in  my life to plant my own garden. That I didn’t need a sweetie and I already had loads of significant others. My besties, my guy pals, my Grams, my dogs (yes, they are significant) and later, boyfriends, and much later, a husband and child. Then even later, a husband and 3 children.

While the kids were young there were cookies and cards and hugs and kisses. There were cards and themed cakes, cookies and even flowers for Mr B.  He sent me flowers, cards, the standard Valentines Day gifts. I sent him the same. There were romantic dinners for two or sometimes we’d set a fancy table, light candles and add the kids. But it didn’t start or stop there. Every day is Valentines Day in the Brown house. We celebrate daily. We say “I love you.” We say “I appreciate you”  and “thank you.” Every day. Sometimes several times. If that sounds smug, I don’t mean it to sound that way at all.

What I’m trying to say in my usual awkward style, is that  we, any of us,  don’t need a special day to celebrate love. We don’t need that arbitrary date. Let your friends, sweeties and besties, your kids and (even your fur babies)  know each and every day how much you love them. It doesn’t require a dozen roses or a box  of candy, (although I never turn down Hersheys chocolate. Just sayin.) It doesn’t require a card, although sending a card for no reason is a wonderful thing to do. All it requires is saying a simple, “I love you.” So have fun with Valentines Day. Give candy and flowers. Send a silly card or a heartfelt one if that’s your style. Let your significant other know how much you care.

Valentines Day is a day on the calendar to celebrate love. So celebrate with great joy and love in your heart. Say “I love you,”  “I appreciate you,” “I value you,” to all those significant others in your life. But don’t let it be just one day of the year.  You don’t need a day circled in red to celebrate love. Say “I love you” every day. Spread the love. “All You Need is Love.”  And most of all, give yourself love. Treat yourself to flowers, to cookies or cake or candy. Why not? You are special in and of yourself.  Happy Valentines Day my friends. I love and appreciate you.

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