As I watched Valentine wishes pop up all day on Facebook, it brought me back to thinking about past Valentine's Days and how things are so different now.
I think the first Valentine's Day I can remember was 1st or 2nd grade. Our Valentine "mailboxes" were made out of brown lunch bags and we cut hearts out of red, pink and white construction paper to decorate them. I diligently filled out my Valentine cards (store-bought ones had the To: and From: lines on them), and made sure I made one for each kid in our class, all of my teachers, the cafeteria lady, and probably the janitor too! It was such an exciting time, and when we each emptied our mailboxes, we got excited when someone gave us a Valentine with a red lollipop attached to it. So easily pleased! I've looked back at some of the "treasures" my mom and Grandma have saved through the years, and I still don't know how any of those kids were able to read my writing...LOL!
Fast forward a couple of years to 4th and 5th grades. By then we already had our "cliques," and even though I knew I had to, there were some kids I really did not want to ask to "Be My Valentine!" I sorted through the box of cards, looking for the ones that stated the least sentiment (ones that just said Happy Valentine's Day or something similar), and set those aside for those I didn't deem worthy of my best wishes. I sorted through the ones that had the mushiest sentiment (Be Mine, etc.), and found one to give to that "special" boy (we all had one that we thought was cute). Depositing each card in the respective mailboxes (we moved up from brown bags to shoe boxes by this point), I held my breath, waiting to see what "kind" of card I got from others. Did I get a mushy card from the boy I thought was cute? Did my best friends give me cool cards? At last, it was time to open cards, and yes, I was surprised. I did get a semi-mushy card from the cute boy (it had a heart and said 'I like you'), my friends did give me cool cards, but I was surprised by a really cool card from one of the people I had kind of brushed aside. She was definitely not in the "in" group, and she was really very quiet, but had I missed something? At recess that day, I went over to where she was sitting on a bench and just said, "HI!" She smiled and scooted over. I looked around, I could see my "cool" friends hanging out by the monkey bars, almost wishing they would not see me as I sat down next to her. We spent the entire recess chatting back and forth, and I didn't even think about my other friends. No one mentioned it to me when we went back to class, but I imagined my other friends talking behind my back. By the time school was out, I had myself convinced that my friends didn't want anything to do with me anymore. I asked my new friend if she wanted to walk home with me (she lived in the same direction). As we struck out for our walk home, one of my other friends yelled out and asked why I wasn't waiting on them! They still wanted to be friends! As a group, we all walked home together, laughing and having a good time.
Although there have been MANY Valentine's Days in my life since then, that scenario will always stay with me. I have had other memorable Valentine's Days like Charles' and mine first Valentine's Day, the first Valentine's I received from my boys, etc., but I would have to say that one, long ago, has had a huge impact on my life.
I can't say I have always been as kind as I should be to everyone I have encountered, I can't say that I never jump to conclusions about other people's feelings about me either; but I can say that incident has caused me to try and seek out the one sitting by themselves, make an attempt to get to know them, and try not to assume that others are out to do me wrong.
So, as I reflect on this Hallmark holiday, I can't help but feel for the people who don't have someone to say Happy Valentine's Day to them, and I thank God again and again for my family and friends. May I never take any of them for granted.
For all of you who have given me "cool cards" throughout my life and received the "cold cards" in return, I thank you and I ask your forgiveness... I can only ask God to continue working in me as I strive to make a positive impression on each person I encounter in my life. Please be patient with me, and together we can make our world a better, more positive place! xoxo
Happy Valentine's Day!!!!
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