What are some of your favorite romantic songs? Some of mine, in no particular order are:
Lady by Kenny Rogers
You Light Up My Life by Debby Boone
When I Fall in Love
This Magic Moment by Jay and The Americans
Babe by Styx
Precious and Few by Climax
Afternoon Delight by The Starland Vocal Band
My Eyes Adored You by Franki Valli The Four Seasons
Time in a Bottle by Jim Croce
Unforgettable by Nat King Cole
And of course
Shadows in the Moonlight by Anne Murray
I could list scores more, but I’ll save some for next Tues. Aft. Tunes.
I don’t need Valentine’s Month to have permission to express love and caring, but I sure do enjoy this time of year! A holiday that celebrates love and caring among family and friends beyond sweethearts, is a good one. Guilt induced “one day” only “must do” expressions are not my cup of tea so I honestly gag over most of the commercial products for Valentine’s day. (There are some that strike my fancy, but it’s a rare one.) I prefer we make our own expressions of caring and I make it a mission to find or create non-traditional Valentine gifts, not because I have to, but because I want to!
Gem is not “in the doghouse” if he forgets Vday, although he doesn’t forget. How could he with all my notes and Valentine Projects all over the house? :D (If he forgot, he’d merely be banned from all the treats I have in store for him that go beyond the ingestible…If you believe that about me, then you’re a new reader in Emerald City!
Valentine’s Day is also another terrific reason to give to the charity or charities of your choice, especially by volunteering your TIME WITH people who have no loved ones. So many folks are lonely this time of year, especially after the hoopla of the holiday season and family events which is more than hard if you have no family or relations are strained. Valentine’s Day can be yet another reminder that there is no one special in their lives and that can be gut-wrenching and depressing. So smile more to strangers, go to schools, hospitals, nursing homes, or even your local library and give of yourself in *deed*, such as by engaging in conversation, reading a story, and especially listening to someone whom you can tell is alone, lonely, or sad. Connecting to others beyond the superficial and making a difference in even one other person’s life, outside of here at Emerald City, is what life is truly about and what love means to me on Valentine’s Day, beyond the special bond with my sweetheart Gem and our daughter Sapphire!
I delight in making valentines any time of year, so this month is an added bonus for creative expression. It lets me run wild with my wacky sense of humor and those puns I love to use. As a chocolate lover, it’s scrumptious to be able to ignore “healthy no sugar rules” and indulge. I do need to be gifted with choolate or I might need to resort to gifting myself to ward off the chocolate me-me-me’s!
I’m also looking forward to two book groups I belong to. One will have a luncheon (complete with chocolaty-ness) following our discussion of A White Boy in Africa by Peter Godwin, an astounding memoir so appropriate for Black History Month. Another evening group will gather for dinner after our book talk, just the gals, as a festive celebration of friendship and a good reason to indulge in chocolate!
Let’s not forget dancing. This time of year we can dance to our heart’s content, that is, if he is not traveling. (I will dance with other partners, if they are friends but Gem is my leading man, of course). Yep, precious readers, Gem will be traveling around Valentine’s Day as he has for the past four years, much to my consternation. It’s not his choice. He does hope to be able to fly back in time for those Sat and Sun dances that occur ALL month. I may need to whisk him straight from the airport onto the Gel-mobile before the moonlight disappears, but we’re as hopeful as we are adventurous.
I’m relieved that it has been socially acceptable for several years to “show you care” to those you don’t feel romantically attached to, beyond your family. For instance, I remember being touched when students who did not have crushes on me, made me cards or inventing puzzles on their own, without prodding from their parents. Some were traditional and brought me flowers (what a lovely surprise) or many knew of my infinite love of chocolate and indulged me. In turn, I adore setting out candy to share with them, dressing in Valentine colors of red, pink ,or purple, the latter being my favorite color as many readers now. Let it be stated that I first thought of purple as a legitimate Valentine color long before the industry expanded the color spectrum!
I also remember receiving platonic Valentine E-cards for the first time from male friends when all of us were happily married. None of them were “come-ons.” Or from gal pals. Those are simply a nice friendship gesture with caring “I’m thinking of you” thoughts.
I was touched to be remembered on Valentine’s Day. (I’m no longer in school so there is no huge box of Valentines. Maybe that’ s why many adults have adopted the practice of sending cards or surprise gifts to friends? Some of those guys and the guy friends of Sapphire specifically send cards or buy small treats or flowers for ALL their girls who are friends. I love that idea! That way, people are not left out if you don’t have a sweetheart.
My dad was loving and caring when I was growing in some ways that were non-traditional. Long before others received Valentines routinely from their parents, I did. It was fun to look forward to the Valentine surprises he planned. For the longest time, I thought it was my mother who was behind all of these. When I learned it was often his idea, I wasn’t surprised. (That gleam in his chocolate brown eyes should have given it away sooner.)
Often, we’d receive a very tiny box of Whitman’s chocolates or when I was much younger, or a coloring book. Little did I know then, that he was able to purchase these things because they were free from the place he worked. (If a box was damaged on the outer cover, it could not be sold or if the coloring book was torn, same reasoning.) (We grew up poor, but not dirt poor.) He continued sending cards to all of us, including my brother throughout our lives, even after we got married. Yes, there were homemade ones and surprise ones. We did to them as well. But it’s those hugs I remember and miss the most: those glorious scoop me up high into his arms and squeeze me tight (even when I was an adult).
One set of my grandparents who lived far away, would always send cards, sometimes enclose a small present and always slip a $1 bill in the card or more. They loved slipping us money long distance or in person (it’s a grandparent thing I’ve learned), but I missed seeing them smile at me, because they cared about me and REALLY listened to me. I miss feeling their hugs beyond words, because we moved several hundred miles away from them when I was a child. I used to see them every weekend when we lived in the same city when I was young. That was ecstasy, then. They played cards with me, read to me or me to them, and let me bounce my red rubber ball in their huge kitchen. What a concept! Bouncing a ball was allowed INSIDE the house! After we moved, we usually saw them only once a year- heartbreaking for me and later, I learned, for them.
You can tell I miss them a lot especially at times like these. These memories enfold and sustain me. I hope that someday I will be able to be half as wonderful loving grandparents as they were.
Love is precious. Happy Valentine’s Month to all! Don’t forget to share some romantic songs you like in the comments, please.
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