Now that the spectacle of Valentine’s Day is over, we can get back to our regular love lives. Full disclosure: I’m not a big fan of February 14th. Maybe it’s all the flowers and candy hearts. Maybe it’s the over abundance of cupids and cards. Maybe its the forced display of gifts signifying someone cared enough to send the very best. I think it’s all of the above but mostly it is the commercialization of it all.
When I was younger, V-day held a lot of weight. I would measure the value of my relationship by the amount of gifts I received. With age comes wisdom and now I know that one day does not define a relationship.
My husband always delivers on Valentine’s Day and we celebrate along with the masses. But I’ll take the everyday displays of love over cards and flowers every time. The small acts of love like relinquishing the “big” television so that I can watch Grey’s Anatomy and Braxton Family Values. The routine task of taking my car for service or planning our annual family vacation. Giving me a call during the work day. Buying me a laptop when I said I wanted to be a writer. (Still working on that one, honey.) Being there through whatever life throws our way. My husband’s love is on full display when he goes to a job that he hates but provides for our family. He shows love in a thousand ways that don’t involve balloons or a piece of candy.
Valentine’s Day can be fun. But I’ll take the every day gifts of love every time. How do you measure love?