Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Sorry if I haven't told you lately.

I thought a lot about Valentines Day over the weekend, not because I don’t have a romantic love interest right now and I was feeling sorry for myself or anything like that, but more about the history of holiday’s and what they were meant to mean to us. In history, we honored people and gave them a day to sit back and remember them and the great things that they did or accomplished. Like Martin Luther King Day, Presidents Day or Memorial Day. I think that we loose track of that and get caught up in the “I have to buy something”, or the “do I get a day off with pay?” Holidays have lost their meanings and become more about money and advertisements.


Growing up in my house, we didn’t really acknowledge any holidays. I mean, we had Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, but not the way most celebrate. Usually we would make a big dinner and go to a movie or something. My dad hated being around people so he just started to be a scrooge at any holiday so that we didn’t have to be social. I was always upset about this and felt like I was missing out. Now, however, I take away one positive from all of this. Superficial holidays such as Valentines Day don’t affect me one way or another.

I also came away with what I want Valentines Day to mean to my daughter as she grows. People in general get caught up in everyday life and sometimes forget to acknowledge the ones that they love. I believe that Valentines Day should be more of a day to remember to tell people how we feel about them. I think that I am going to teach her that we will never buy anything for anyone on this holiday nor should we expect to get anything from anyone. We will sit down and make something from the heart for the ones we love. We will make a list of everyone that we care about and call and let them know how much they mean to us. To me, this should and will be a day to say the words that we sometimes have a hard time expressing!

You are very special to me and you being in my life makes me a better person.

I love you!

17 comments:

  1. Aww. Considering I know what kind of day you had on V-Day (with Toots) this post is all the more poignant.

    I've always enjoyed the holidays for the special times and memories made with family and friends - not for the hype or gifts. I think, for the most part, that is what my kids appreciate about them too.

    AS for V-Day? I think it's meaningless to celebrate your love for someone on that day if you're not doing it every other day as well.

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  2. Great idea and she is too cute!!

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  3. I've always loved holidays, but not so much for the commercial / gift giving aspect...more for the food! And, of course, the sentiment.

    BODA lose weight

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  4. Holidays are for booze. We all know this, but really only a few actually admit to it. ;)

    Your girl? GORGEOUS. Happy Valentines Day SweetNess.

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  5. Love this. And I couldn't agree more. Moments to tell those you love how you feel. (Though I'd take QTMama up on a cocktail, if I could!)

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  6. I like Mindy's take too. You should celebrate love every day.

    Love ya girl!

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  7. I had a big cocktail for Valentine's Day night and I missed my boys as they were with their Dad. I was with my BF so that helped. I think that you are right about teaching children that this holiday is about calling someone to tell them how special they are or making something from the heart. I am rambling a bit but just wanted to say Hi and say good post!

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  8. Wow your daughter is growing so fast. She looks so cute and curious ! I did a lot of reflecting on VD too !

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  9. We never really celebrated holidays either.

    I'm trying to love my people every day. They don't always make it easy on me but I'm trying.

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  10. I got two beautiful handmade cards from my girls on V-day. That was more than enough for me!

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  11. I absolutely love the idea of making something from the heart! So much better than a throwaway card!

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  12. I think that's a great tradition for you and your little one on VD. It's not always about the material things anyway. In fact, those rarely will keep you truly happy in the long run anyway.

    They do help a little bit though.. ;)

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  13. You are such a phenomenal mom...I don't think I've told you that lately. I admire you. How lucky that beautiful little girl is to have you!!!!

    Love the new diggs too. Very pretty!

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  14. I could not agree more...I do not dislike the holiday, despite no love and the way the holiday has been distorted! because it is an opportunity to tell those you love exactly that!!

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  15. Valentine's Day is so overwrought with pressure! The right gift. The right card. The right person. The right restaurant. Always makes me want to a pull a groundhog. Glad you and your little one are so grounded. I'm grateful every day that I have found my wonderful blog family. Thanks for always being there.

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  16. What is this Valentine's Day of which you speak? Never heard of it.

    (And it never rains in Seattle).

    As I've said elsewhere, though... yes, I think the best situation is one where you can say, "I love you" every day. And that's what I want. I want I want I want I want.

    And that, your honor, is why my wife and I are divorcing.

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