I remember the giggles and laughter in the 2nd grade classroom with Mrs. Eagle in a dress with pink hearts on a yellow background. We were exchanging valentines that most often said, “Will you be my Valentine?” Friday, the 12th of February was the class party. The room had red and white heart cut outs strung across the windows. The valentines colored in deep strawberry red, perforated from the sheet, and slipped into matching envelopes drawn with hearts and arrows, showed cute cartoon puppies and children throwing hearts, kisses, and arrows. The table by the window had another heart tablecloth on which cupcakes, various cookies and lots of punch were displayed. Room mothers were helping with the distribution of goodies while the class exchanged messages of love and friendship.

At home, my mom sat with me and listened to my telling of the afternoon party while checking out the goodies bag that had 18 paper valentines, Hershey Kisses, conversation hearts, and Haribo gummy bears. Obviously, that night was a candy high before and after supper.

My sister and I created a doily laden valentine and button mums and carnations out of tissue for Mom and brought her toast in bed on Sunday.

Expressing kindness is a feature of Valentine’s Day celebration.  Zora Neale Hurston writes, “Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place.” So, in this quote, we are encouraged to interact with others and to not hide from others. In this time of covid, that can be a difficult charge to follow through with.  Recently, I noticed a commercial running on tv that shares love for others. A grade schooler, masked for Covid restrictions, comes to a residence, knocks and when the senior citizen answers, says, “Here, Mr. Adams. My mom and I made a meal for you.” The elderly gentleman is, in some way, coming out from his hiding place and accepting a gesture of love from a young neighbor. The notion reminds me, and maybe you, to accept kindness and to share kindness. We can still be kind to one another in our restricted times.

Dr. Seus has said of love: “We’re all a little weird, and life’s a little weird. And when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.” Geico runs a newish commercial that I’ve noticed. Of a mom not too motivated to get an ice cream dessert ready after being asked about Geico savings. (https://youtu.be/vDAg3VkZPg8) The tag-team hip-hop duo gets the scoops going and the toppings as well.  Before you know it, the reluctant mom is dancing hip hop, then a just-arrived family member joins in. To me, its not only a laugh-out-loud commercial, but it’s also about love of one another, family, friends, hip hop, dance, and love of ice cream to boot.

Any dog lover will also enjoy this segment from CNN about a dog in Colorado delivering meal to senior citizen. www.cnn.com/videos/us/2020/03/30/woman-trains-dog-deliver-groceries-neighbor-medical-conditions-pkg-vpx.kktv

Love does not just express romantic love for a soul mate, but it is expresses loving kindness for all human beings, creatures on God’s blue planet. PBS new rendition of the classic show, “All Creatures Great and Small” is a reminder how all-encompassing love can me more than preprinted valentines.

From me to you, Happy Valentine’s Day, share some love today.