Friday; February 14

I remember the pressure of Valentine’s Day from when I was a little guy.  Not only did we have to worry about making sure we had enough valentines in our little paper sacks to cover the entire class, we also had the added pressure of making sure that that special person got just the right valentine and the candy shaped heart that expressed our sentiment most appropriately.  (I think these sparsely-worded, chalky-tasting pieces of candy may have been the precursor to today’s emojis.)
For the past forty years, I have exchanged one set of Valentine’s Day worries for another.  I no longer have to figure out if she will be my valentine – my present concern is what should I do for my special valentine?  Through the years I have tried to come up with the perfect present, but if the truth where known, I have always known what I needed to do for my valentine:
1.  Express my love.  I know that I don’t say it enough, so maybe the best gift I can give Jeane starts by simply saying “I love you”. 
2.  Express my appreciation.  I know how special Jeane is in my life and how proud I am of her, but does she?  I believe I have begun too many conversations with the unspoken sentiment, “It goes without saying ...”.  The truth is that I need to say it.
3.  Commit to my responsibilities.  There are certain things that I need to do as a husband – some are implied, others come directly from the hopes that she has for me.  One of the best gifts I can give is to live up to the promises I have made through my marriage vows and the spiritual and social expectations that come from being a husband.
          What gift are you giving your valentine today?  Is it what they really want?  Maybe our gifts shouldn’t begin at the store – maybe they should originate from the heart and soul.
Think About It!

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