"The eskimos had fifty-two names for snow because it was important to them: there ought to be as many for love." ~Margaret Atwood

The post below is something I wrote last February, and found it in my drafts folder this morning.  I'm not sure why I didn't post it then.  It was a good reminder for me as I re-read it today, and I thought it was worth sharing . . . 

On Thursday I stopped by a local pharmacy to pick up a few items we needed before I headed to the grocery store.  As I pulled into the CVS parking lot, I was surprised by the noticeable crowd of cars on an unremarkable Thursday morning.  What could be drawing that many people to CVS on a sunny mid-February day?  When I walked into the store, the answer to my question became apparent as I saw a line of people at the check-out.  Each one had red and pink greeting cards, boxes of candy, flowers, balloons, or stuffed animals in hand.  It was Valentine's Day, and the people waiting in line to pay for their purchases had waited until the last minute to buy tokens of their affection.  I finished at CVS and moved on to Brookshire's, where I witnessed the same thing.  Not only were people inside the store snatching up chocolate and flowers, but Brookshire's even had a huge tent set up outside in the parking lot to make the last-minute purchases more convenient.

As I stood in check-out lines at these two different stores behind people making their Valentine's Day purchases, I wondered what their stories were.  Each of them cared enough about someone in their life to go to the store, make a decision, and spend their money.  Some were no doubt happy to part with their cash, and looked forward to seeing the look of thanksgiving on the face of their beloved when their love token was received later that day.  Others may have simply been making a purchase out of a feeling of obligation.  And as I stood there, I wondered - do these people here making purchases to express their love on this holiday show their love in other ways every other day of the year?  I sure hope so.

Later in the afternoon, I drove to a neighboring town to attend a funeral.  The mother of one of my dearest friends passed away on Monday afternoon following a long, difficult battle with cancer.  No mention was made of the fact that it was Valentine's Day, but plenty of love was remembered and shown.  The son-in-law of the deceased spoke of his love for his mother-in-law.  He read Proverbs 31, spoke of how her life exemplified those qualities found there, and how she actively loved her family every single day.  Her four grown daughters, who all live in different states, exemplified their love, honor, and dedication to their mother in the last four years (yes, I said YEARS), as they rotated visits to make sure their mother was cared for continually.  I witnessed grandchildren who wept, knowing that a major influence in their lives was now gone.  And, I observed and shared in hugs given to express comfort and love that can not be adequately conveyed in any other way.

As I drove home, I thought about how superficial Valentine's Day can be in contrast to what I had just experienced.  Many years ago, the writer of Ecclesiastes said, "It is better to go to the house of mourning than to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart."  No truer words were ever spoken.  When my body is lying in a casket at the front of a chapel, and my family and friends gather to remember my life, I doubt any mention will be made of what I did or didn't do on Valentine's Day.  Instead, I hope they will remember that I actively loved them every single day of every single year - a love that grew out of my love and relationship with the Author of love, who showed us the ultimate act of agape in giving His Son on a cross.

"So now faith, hope and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love."  ~1 Corinthians 13:13