Loves Me, Loves Me Not - Again
I posted this last year and because of the response - here it is again! Be sure to read below for the next chapter of this Valentine's Day story!Loves Me, Loves Me Not
Chuck hates Valentine's Day. As soon as the marketing gurus launch their onslaught of commercials designed to create deep guilt for every man who doesn't buy his love a diamond ring, heart shaped necklace or sexy lingerie, Chuck warns me not to expect anything. After all, he doesn't need anyone to tell him how to express his love for me. He does that every day by the way he treats me. My husband is a romantic and I have lots of stories I could tell about how he has demonstrated his love in surprising ways over the years. In ways that are so much better than a Valentine's Day Card that he has to buy because of marketing pressure. Yet, I brought preconceived ideas
about Valentine's Day into our marriage. When I was growing up, on the morning of February 14, I would sometimes wake up to find a small heart shaped box of candy outside my bedroom door. My mother always said it was from my father but sometimes there would be an extra gift that only a mom would think to buy for her daughter. As a young wife, I tried not to let the commercialism of February love raise my expectations of my husband but I wasn't really content to let the holiday go. One year I decided I could still create Valentine's Day traditions with our children without seeming to insult Chuck for his lack of recognition of this unashamed attempt by our culture to get us to spend billions of dollars on cards, candy, jewelry and roses. Loves me, loves me not . . .[The Rest of the Story]
The Next Chapter
So, has Chuck succumbed to the Valentine's Day marketing pressure? Ah, yes. But I'm always surprised. Last year on Valentine's Day, flowers that included a teddy bear and candy and other sweet gifts arrived at the very moment good friends pulled up to our home. I couldn't stop laughing as I opened the note. He couldn't have planned it any better!
Don't tell him, but I'm kind of hoping he meant it last night when he warned me not to get my hopes up. I have been so busy, I wasn't even thinking about Valentine's Day until he mentioned it. So. I am taking his advice. I'm not thinking about it. Any pressure he feels comes from within - not me! We'll see if he's taking his own counsel and not thinking about it, either! Whatever his thoughts, I am pretty sure we'll still be laughing.
Blessings!
Sharon