In Honor of Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day! I've always liked Valentine's Day--mostly because when I was younger, my Dad would do really fun stuff for us. I remember waking up a few times to candy kisses and hearts scattered all over the table. One time he hid candy in the house and made little cards with word puzzles that, when solved, created little messages.

One year the 6 of us kids, with our Dad's help, turned our kitchen into a private restaurant. We cooked and served a dinner for our parents, complete with place settings, menus, appetizers, dessert, and background music. After dinner, my parents danced in the dining room to one of their favorite songs. For my parents, it was probably a less-than-awesome night. We kids had nooo idea how to cook steaks, and we were giggling and whispering in the kitchen for their entire meal. I think we even asked them for large tips when they were done eating. But for me, it was, and still is, the best Valentine's Day I can remember.

That night, I got to see true love in action. I saw the love and respect my Dad had for my Mom, in planning that whole night out for her. I saw the love my parents had for each other, and for us, their children. There were no giant boxes of chocolates, no rose petals on the carpet, no expensive jewelry or lavish gifts, and no fancy dinner reservations. There was just us, a young family of 8, in a little blue house that was our home. Old, torn blankets were hung around the kitchen to make the dining room seem more private, and little emergency candles were on the table to set the mood. The steak was dry, the service was lacking, and the dishes weren't fancy china. But because there was love in our house that night, our "restaurant" was better than any 5 star dining service.

For years after that experience, I always thought that we had done my parents a special service that night. But looking back now, I realize that it was us kids who received something special that night. For me, at least, I received the comforting, reassuring fact that my parents loved each other, and that our home was a safe, happy place. I also realized that service is love, and that dry steak tastes like sawdust.

Sometimes I wish I could go back to those days when all 6 of us kids were living at home. Back when we'd run through the towels on the line after my Mom hung them up to dry, or when we'd laugh so hard we couldn't get through family prayers. Back when we'd make giant mud cities by the garden, sit on the roof to watch 4th of July fireworks, or be chased around the yard by our crazy rabbit who thought he was a dog. I miss those days. But though my life, and the lives of my family members, has changed drastically since those days, there's still one thing that stays the same: good ol' L.O.V.E.

Valentine's Day isn't about whether or not you're in a relationship, or whether or not your significant other remembers to do something nice for you. You could say it's a day for people to make money off of stupid cards, candy, giant teddy bears, jewelry, etc., but I think that's a pretty cynical view of this holiday. While we should show our love to others every day of the year, I think Valentine's Day is an opportunity to stop and think about all the different forms of love that are present in your life. It's a day to serve those you love, and recognize those that have served you. I like to think of it as a second Thanksgiving, replacing turkey and mashed potatoes with chalky candy hearts and chocolate. (As a side note, there's absolutely nothing wrong with buying candy and presents for yourself. There's also nothing wrong with eating an entire bag of conversation hearts all by yourself. NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT, JILLIAN MICHAELS.)

Anyway. Now that I've talked about the greatness of Valentine's Day, here are some pictures I drew to celebrate the absurdity of it. Enjoy!

This one's for you, Mom. Not because it's a guy at a urinal.......but because you recognized this song for how lame it truly is long before anyone else did.

Creepiest love song ever.

Cards!