It is still my contention that if you truly love someone, you don't need a holiday created by the greeting card industry to tell them so. At least you shouldn't. That said, I've just spent a lot of time sending out Valentine's cards and gifts to various members of the family. Mostly because it's a good reason to send mail to various children, and what child doesn't like to get mail of their very own? Especially with stickers or cash inside?
My mom was thoughtful about the holidays. We always got little gifts for Valentine's and Easter even when we got older and she didn't really need to. I am attempting to keep up the tradition, although it requires planning which my busy life sometimes doesn't make much allowance for. Yesterday I did dash into Hallmark and mumble to myself while perusing the cards along with many other people. Hey, at least it wasn't Sunday. But then again, the post office was jamming today and my carefully planned "send it today and it will get to most of these people on Monday, the very day of Valentine's Day fame" may not be correct. Many, many cards and packages clogging up the works at the P.O.
Also, today was a very angry day. I witnessed two different situations where people were yelling at each other forcefully, with cursing and gesticulating. The anger in both cases was way out of proportion to the situation at hand and ugly. Where is the pre-Valentine's Day love, people? My own day will be spent at Jury Duty, so I've got to get my V-Day love out early.
I did get an early Valentine in the mail today. Inside, a copy of "I Love You Like Crazy Cakes", one of the more popular adoption books for children out there. I read it and cried. Mostly I really liked the story, although parts made me a little uncomfortable. The page describing the baby's new room, for example, was a little squirmy for me. But the last page made up for everything. A timely tribute to the baby's birth mother, and a gentle reminder of the loss that adoption brings. Just right.
Posted by grrlTravels at February 11, 2005 5:05 PMI love that book for the gorgeous pictures and the baby in the hat and the acknowldgement of loss. It's wonderful.
OTOH, _Shaoey and Dot_, which someone got me for a gift, might make you throw up.
Posted by: Jen at February 12, 2005 4:56 PMWhat?! Disklike Valentine's Day?! : ) You must not truly mean that...!! It's a great day for a birthday. I can completely agree with you on the getting the valentines to the post office & hoping that they'll get there on time. I went in and also needed stamps. I asked the guy behind the counter for the new love ones to which he replied, oh - those don't come out until the 19th. Hmm...now that is genious! The love stamps are not available until AFTER Valentine's Day.
Posted by: heather at February 16, 2005 3:23 PM