Subscribe via RSSValentine's Day
Monday, February 12, 2007 |
Valentine’s Day and I have had a love/hate relationship. It began in elementary school. We cut up construction paper, smeared on some glue and then affixed it all to the shoebox we brought from home. My shoebox still smelled of sneakers.
We would cut a rectangular hole in the top along and paint something “Valentiney” like “Happy Valentine’s Day” or “Stick your Candy here, Bubba” on the top. Once the boxes were ready for prime time, they were set on a long bookshelf under the big windows. Each student would systematically deliver their “personalized” Valentines to the other students. Of course you always gave the best Valentine to the cutest girl in class along with an extra sucker to show exactly what a great catch you were.
After many years of unreciprocated lollipops came junior high school. There were no shoeboxes there. In Fact, Valentine's Day meant nothing to anyone except one overly-mature couple who openly held hands at lunch. I could never do that. Proper tater tot etiquette dictates the use of both hands.
In high school, more of the kids began pairing off and holding hands at lunch. Maybe I was a bit too faithful to the tater tots. Whatever the case, Valentine’s Day there included a single carnation or an extra note during Algebra. I wasn’t too clear on the protocol. I was busy organizing my cassette collection and preparing for college.
With college came a whole new set of rules. There were roses being delivered and people sporting their “Good” sweatpants. It was a time of rebirth and dorm living. Maybe the couple would have a big night. Rent a movie, order a deluxe pizza, and tell the roommate to “Scram” for an hour or three. I typically took those few hours to reflect upon my “girlfriendlessness” and how some day I was going to have to sacrifice my “Star Wars book club” time for time with the opposite sex. Valentine’s Day was not my friend.
Through some miracle, my wife Jennifer and I have celebrated a few Valentine’s days together. The one I remember the most was our wedding day. Yes, we were married on Valentine’s day (George Lucas’s Birthday was already booked).
It was a small ceremony in Jen’s parent’s house. As the brief ceremony began, Mark, my stepson, joined us at the front of the room. Mark was 3 years old and very well behaved. While Jennifer and I exchanged our vows, Mark quickly left and ran down the hallway adjacent to the ceremony. By the sound of the toilet lid opening and the sounds to follow, he was obviously busy. After the ceremony Mark and I had a quick discussion about the importance of closing the bathroom door especially when family are around and are seated at the other end of the hallway.
Our Valentine’s Day celebrations now are raucous bouts of debauchery that include romantic comedies and perhaps a meal from a restaurant that doesn’t have an option to “Super Size” the meal. Then later in the evening, we put the kids to bed and fall asleep on the couch.
I imagine that as Jennifer and I get older, our Valentine’s Day celebrations will change. Once the kids move away and start their families, I may surprise my wife with a cruise. We will renew our vows and Jennifer will enjoy long walks gazing out into the ocean. Meanwhile I will be back in our cabin enjoying the serene wallpaper in the lavatory.
I imagine even later in our lives as we are in the assisted living facility and Valentine’s Day rolls around, the cafeteria will serve red Jell-o shaped as hearts and I will wheel my way over to my beautiful wife, gaze deep into her eyes and say, “You know, I’ve always loved you, Janyce.”
