Valentine's Day is Every Day

I don't know about you but I am getting tired of being bombarded by all the hype and commercials about Valentine's Day.  Why is it that people think they need to shell out tons of money on this one day every year on candy, flowers and jewelry just to show their love for someone?  And why is it that there is a mentality that only on holidays and birthdays that we do something special for those we love (or as the commercials would have you believe)?  Now before you think that I am anti-Valentine's Day or worse yet, anti-love, let me just tell you that I love being "romanced", getting flowers, chocolates and both getting and giving gifts.  However, I feel that one should show their love year round for those they care about and love. 


I am blessed to be married to a wonderful man whom I have been with since I was 20 years old.  My husband, being the romantic that he is, asked me to marry him on my 21st birthday.  There was no big hoopla about the proposal but let me tell you what he did do.  I woke up with  migraine that day and just needed to relax and take it easy.  My Jeff, knowing that this landlocked girl from Hawaii needed to be near water to relax, took me down to the river for the day and let me lay my head on his chest as I dozed off under the shade of a tree.  Later that day, as we snuggled watching TV at his place, he asked me to be his wife.  This same man shows up with flowers, Snickers candy bars, donuts for breakfast and other little surprises for me year round.  He also really listens to what I have to say and what I truly want and tries to make a way for it to happen.  He remodeled our guest bathroom and put in a big soaking tub for me, he remodeled our kitchen and got rid of the hideous wallpaper and put up beadboard that is painted a soft seafoam green.  It is so much more relaxing in both those rooms for me now.

Do you know what my husband did for me this year?  He wrote me a note from his heart.  It was short and sweet and it shared an "inside joke" that is special to us both.  I made him brownies and his favorite dinner.  We also hot tubbed before he had to get ready for work.  We both enjoyed our limited time together.  It was relaxing and there was no big pressure to go all out.  You see, we know each other really well and we know what is really important to each other.  We don't need to go "all out" on Valentine's Day or any other day for that matter to prove our love for each other.  We also do not fall into the trap that I see so many others fall into of trying to outdo whatever it is that they did last year in the coming year.  I have seen guys go into huge amounts of debt trying to impress their girlfriends or wives.  I hate the pressure this puts on them and their families.


I'm thankful that I am married to my Jeff, the man who knows me well and loves me for me with my strengths but also with my flaws and idiosyncrasies.  His every day actions show me his love.  He is there for me, really listens to me, is a wonderful father to our sons, sacrifices for all of us and does so many little things that just make my life so much easier and wonderful.  He makes me feel loved and secure because I know that he is there for me no matter what and always will be.  In our home, Valentine's Day truly is every day!