Valentine’s Day seems a perfect opportunity to talk about love and romance. If I’m being completely honest, I love Valentine’s Day, and always have. Not the commercialism of it, but the expression of love. I love the pink and red hearts, that almost all candy is strawberry and the just downright cuteness of it all. It’s a great reminder for us to be expressive with each other.
Love isn’t about flowers, candy and hearts. It’s not about grand gestures and romantic getaways. It’s about how we treat each other daily. It’s giving more than we expect in return. It’s taking the dog out at 3 AM so your spouse can get a little more sleep. It’s bringing home a favorite snack from the grocery store that wasn’t on the list. It’s about refilling their coffee cup so they can stay cozy in bed. It’s about cooking their favorite meal, even if you don’t particularly care for it. It’s a genuine smile that greets you at the end of each day. It’s about showing up and being present.
I think we place way too much importance on the grand gestures, and ignore the daily interactions. Grand gestures don’t undo years of overlooking the little things. For me, genuine interest, attention and care demonstrate love far more than flowers. The grand gestures and getaways are amazing, if you have the foundation of daily care, but we have to be careful not to use them as a bandaid.
Today, just love each other. Don’t let petty annoyances derail your day. When I think back on my friendships and relationships, it’s not the big things I remember. I don’t remember the grand gestures or the major missteps of others, I remember the way they made me feel. The small, daily interactions and the way they reacted to me…those are the lasting impressions.
