Sunday, February 14, 2010

It's St. Valentine's Day!

I am one of those people that loved exchanging Valentine's when I was a kid. I am also one of those people who belives that Valentine's Day is not just for lovers- but for anyone that you love. I don't believe that my husband has to go out and buy me over priced flowers, chocolates that I (and my rear end) don't need, or jewelry to show me that he loves me. Now- I am not saying I don't like those things. I love flowers, just not that they jack up the prices for the holiday. I love good chocolate- but I really-really don't need them. And goodness knows that I love diamonds- but I would rather get them because it was Tuesday rather than because of a sense of "having to because"....

Last night my honey and I ran to the Dollar store. We needed to get light bulbs and it's a great place to get them and save some dollars. At the checkout there were literally hundreds of mylar balloons. Heart shaped, round, red, pink, silver, "I Love you", "Be Mine"- you get the idea. We had to walk through all of those strings to escape the store. The cashier was all sorts of high pressure to sell my hubby some of those balloons. Hubby laughed and told her that we don't celebrate Valentine's Day. Our anniversary is a week away and we prefer to celebrate that instead. I told her that I don't need him to buy Valentine's gifts to know that he loves me. As we were walking through the parking lot to our car I was thinking of all of the hundreds of ways he shows his love to me on a regular basis.

Not only is he completely supportive about the challenges that come with my Rheumatoid Arthritis and Fibromyalgia, it is also the little things. Things like taking both dogs for their evening walk so that I can get to bed early when I take my Enbrel. Or roasting asparagus or brussels sprouts for me even though he really, really doesn't like them. It's stopping and waiting when I step down into an icy parking lot to make sure I don't slip and fall or stopping for coffee for me even though he doesn't drink it. Personally- I would much rather have these things every day because they show me that he is thinking of me- not because of some holiday but just because he loves me.

I feel that I am very, very fortunate. Not only that I have him and that he loves me- but that I am very secure in that knowledge. I cannot help but feel blessed that I am reminded how lucky I am. *Disclaimer* He is not, by any stretch of the imagination, perfect. He has flaws both small and large- but then so do I. Confucius said “Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.” I will keep my diamond, no matter how rough he may be.

I hope each of you finds great joy in all of those you love- today and every day.

1 comment:

Wren said...

Shoot, who needs boxes of chocolate, flowers and jewelry when you have a soul mate, best friends and lover all rolled into one? What a wonderful thing!

It sounds like your fella is an awfully fine man, even if he is a "diamond in the rough." Those little things -- the thoughtful things -- truly mean everything in a healthy relationship. I'm glad for you, Jules. Here's wishing you a lovely anniversary celebration next week.