Much of what I learned about celebrating Love came from when I was a young girl. Perhaps what I began learning, what I was being exposed to, taught me to look past the commercialism of the day and see the potential it held. Yes, we all know we are sold a romantic day that tells you to give extravagant gifts and fancy dinners to our love interests. However, I see something different.

I see my father coming home with three bouquets of beautiful flowers ranging from tulips and Gerber daisy’s to roses. I watch as he surprises his mom with beautiful flowers to remind her how special and treasured she is! I watch as he kisses my mom, whispers his love into her ears and presents her with the most beautiful bouquet. My eyes grow wide as he approaches his little girl with her very own bouquet reminding me I am the apple of his eye!

I have come upon old cards from yester-years that hold words and scribbled pictures of love and endearment, addressed to Grandma, husband and father. I learned how to send friends notes of love by watching my mom send Valentine’s to women she treasured. I was the focus of a father who would randomly have flowers delivered to his 8th grade daughter while she was in class. I experienced as those closest to me celebrated love by living a life that loved others!

So when the actual day of Love comes, it is a time to take pause and relish the Love we have been blessed and gifted with. Though the other 364 days of the year we [should] actively live a life of love, purposely think outwardly, learning to care for others, I find it’s okay to take pause to say, “wow, Love is amazing and deep and powerful and can literally change lives!”

Let us celebrate something that draws all humanity together. Whether you celebrate with chocolate and flowers, or a movie date with your husband, or a sleepover for your daughter, or random gifts for new, unsuspecting friends, or snail mail for those that have left a lasting impression on your life.

For there is nothing wrong with telling someone how much they mean to you, today, tomorrow and more. So don’t let today go by without taking the time to share with someone what they mean to you! It is only a good thing to love on others!

“For this is the original message we heard: We should love each other.”

1 John 3:11 MSG