Today I Love Love

I do love Valentine's Day.  I am a single lady.  I've always been a single lady (now put your hands up...).  To me, this day has never been about romantic love.  Valentine's is one of three days per year - the other two being Christmas and a birthday - when you can tell someone how much you love them without them looking at you like you are on some sort of narcotic.  Let's face it, I'm definitely not one to shy away from letting people know how much they mean to me, so this holiday and I were meant to be together.  Today is about the full spectrum of love.

My very best Valentine's memories are the ones when I forgot about myself and dove into service for my friends - anonymously dropping off treats, throwing parties, and going out with my friends.  I aspire to, one day with my significant other, perform acts of love and service for my Valentine's celebrations...because nothing makes me feel more loving or more loved.  Some of my friends beat me to the punch on this, as I found two long-stemmed roses on my doorstep this morning and another Valentine on my car.  When I got to work, I had some hugs and kisses on my desk as well as a bag of goodies.   I'm soon on my way to pick up cookies from my favorite bakery, Smart Cookie, to share with my loved ones.  And the day isn't over!  I'm very much looking forward to my evening out tonight. 

To all my special someone's - Happy Valentine's Day!  I know, if I always love with all my heart, I will never find myself in the wrong.

In honor of the romantic side of this day,  I found this through Tara who gives credit to Letters of Note for sharing this enlightening John Steinbeck letter. 

In November of 1958, John Steinbeck -- the renowned author of, most notable, The Grapes of Wrath, East of Eden, and Of Mice and Men -- received a letter from his eldest son, Thom, speaking of Susan, a young girl with whom he believed he had fallen in love.  His beautiful letter of advice can be enjoyed below.   (Source: Steinbeck: A Life in Letters)

New York
November 10, 1958

Dear Thom:

We had your letter this morning. I will answer it from my point of view and of course Elaine will from hers.

First—if you are in love—that’s a good thing—that’s about the best thing that can happen to anyone. Don’t let anyone make it small or light to you.

Second—There are several kinds of love. One is a selfish, mean, grasping, egotistical thing which uses love for self-importance. This is the ugly and crippling kind. The other is an outpouring of everything good in you—of kindness and consideration and respect—not only the social respect of manners but the greater respect which is recognition of another person as unique and valuable. The first kind can make you sick and small and weak but the second can release in you strength, and courage and goodness and even wisdom you didn’t know you had.

You say this is not puppy love. If you feel so deeply—of course it isn’t puppy love.

But I don’t think you were asking me what you feel. You know better than anyone. What you wanted me to help you with is what to do about it—and that I can tell you.

Glory in it for one thing and be very glad and grateful for it.

The object of love is the best and most beautiful. Try to live up to it.

If you love someone—there is no possible harm in saying so—only you must remember that some people are very shy and sometimes the saying must take that shyness into consideration.

Girls have a way of knowing or feeling what you feel, but they usually like to hear it also.

It sometimes happens that what you feel is not returned for one reason or another—but that does not make your feeling less valuable and good.

Lastly, I know your feeling because I have it and I’m glad you have it.

We will be glad to meet Susan. She will be very welcome. But Elaine will make all such arrangements because that is her province and she will be very glad to. She knows about love too and maybe she can give you more help than I can.

And don’t worry about losing. If it is right, it happens—The main thing is not to hurry. Nothing good gets away.

Love,

Fa