What a wonderful invention Valentine’s Day is.  On the 14th of February this year we will again step out of our regular routine to remind others how much we care.  Lacy cards with poems, bouquets of red roses, candies that say Be My Valentine, and heart shaped boxes filled with chocolates are just some of the ways we let people know they are special.  No matter what our age we love to know someone is thinking of us.

Do you remember Valentine’s Day in primary school?  In my school in Michigan, U.S. we decorated a large box with crepe paper and hearts to serve as the mail box.  Then we brought our homemade or store bought cards that we had carefully signed, sealed and addressed and put them into the slot of this Valentine box.  When the time came for them to be distributed, we hastily opened them to see who they were from and what that person had said.  No matter how silly or trite the message, each card was special.

A tradition I have tried to keep over the years is to make my own cards.  They usually are collages with hearts, feathers and papers of varying textures.  What they may lack in professionalism, they more than make up for in uniqueness and color.  Each is a labor of love which I send through the post with a stamped envelope.

A year ago I declared a Valentine’s Day each week.  Once a year seems much too limiting for this positive expression of caring.

Shirley Pollock was my inspiration for this.  Although unable to see well enough to read herself, she sent a note to someone each day.  Sometimes it was a thank you.  Other times it was to say she was thinking about you or hoped you were feeling better.  She expressed praise for something you had done or simply reminded you of a quality that she admired about you.  Her notes were treasured by those who received them. 

Every day was Valentine’s Day. 

My original goal was to send at least one special note each week. Over the past months this has grown.  Now I write several cards each week to let others know how special they are.   Focusing on relationships in this way makes positives excel and negatives fade. 

At a recent cousin’s reunion, our cousin Irene gave each of us an envelope with photo copies of some letters our Grandmother had written.  The moment I saw her distinctive handwriting, memories flooded through me.   During her life time we each had received many such letters.  They brought us closer to her over the miles and made us feel special.  We still treasure those messages and lessons. - They have become part of who we are.

Irene’s gift was also a pleasant reminder that our own grandchildren will appreciate receiving personal notes and cards. 

Don’t you love to receive a personal note on real paper that you can touch and hold?  There is extra pleasure that comes with a personally stamped envelope. This is even more appreciated today when so much communication is via the internet.   

Are you too busy to find cards and run to the post office? Not able to get out to purchase cards easily?  Unable to write due to physical difficulties?  There is a happy solution that I now use and find to be AgeEsteem friendly.  Have a peek at www.sendoutcards.com/hello to see for yourself (See bottom of page for free card.)

Why wait for February 14th?  Make today a Valentine’s Day. 

We all love the feeling of love and friendship that goes into a Valentine.  So…

Let’s declare every day Valentine’s Day and fill hearts with love!