I came home from a three day workshop in Rhode Island yesterday. Exhuasted but full of new ideas, I dropped my bags on the living room floor, my mind swam with a quickly growing to-do list - full of work tasks, laundry piles, and getting back to "normal" with my family. In a daze, I then remembered...oh crap, Valentine's Day. I hadn't even thought about it yet, what am I going to do?
As the list grew in my mind, my husband, Matt, saw the sudden look of worry cross my face. He said - "it's ok, everything's under control."
And while the to-do list never left my brain, I settled down and began to let it all go, "yup... he's right." I mean, really - he's held down the fort for three days on his own. And yes, the house is still standing, and my son has been clothed, fed and loved.
I thought (and trust me, not for the first time), "wow, he really loves me." And in that short moment, I loved him even more.
Valentine's Day is day for the romantic, for the big lovey-dovey gestures. But in my corner of the universe, flowers, candy are always appreciated, but often unnecessary. Don’t get me wrong, big gestures are awesome. It’s just that I don’t need an oversized stuffed animal or singing telegram to know that I’m loved.
Because here's the thing - real love, happens all the time. It happens in the little things, or in the consistency of every day life. When you kiss goodbye every morning, or in your dinner routine of "you cook, I'll clean." Matt loves me enough to know that a three day work conference, 400 miles away, is just what I needed to love him even more for all of the little things he does for me. He's my Valentine, every day.
I guess what I’m saying is - it’s not all about romance, it’s about real love and appreciation. This Valentine's Day, I might not have roses, and that's ok. I have something greater, every single day.
I still don't have anything for him for Valentine's day... but it's on the to do list.
~ Erin
