Oh, how I LOVE this song. However...gettin' old and not having a Valentine sucks! Every store I go into has big red heart boxes of chocolates, mushy cards...roses wrapped in celophane. Commercials on TV are all about celebrating your love on Valentine's Day.
It's been years since I truly celebrated Valentine's Day..other than to get something cute for LouLou. It's a day for me to get over as quickly as possible..looking forward to the Spring and dancing out some frustration. Thanks goodness I'll be working this year...won't be too much time to reflect on Valentine's past and wondering who's getting something special on this day for lovers.
Let's get this straight...I was NEVER a loose woman! But I fondly remember the year that three different arrangements of roses were delivered to me from three different gentlemen! I must say that the smile didn't leave my face for days and days...mostly because of the looks on my employees faces, wondering what the boss lady was up to in order to receive such a generous bounty. I wasn't up to anything..other than being young(er), single (still) and a size 2 (no longer)! Shoot...I'm smiling now, just thinking about it!
Yeppers....Methinks Valentine's Day is for the younger generation...The sweet thrill of your heart fluttering when you see someone special coming towards you and dreaming of that perfect future together. Or even younger when we could carefully pick out that perfect little card from the box you bought at Pope's 5 & 10 to send to your secret heart throb...Hoping they would notice and pull your hair or something on the playground.
When I was little the best Valentine to have was Bert Hood. Bert was the sweetest thing and always had a flower or two and a kinda mushy card. We sparked on and off from about first grade til third. I sure hope he's still that mushy with his forever Valentine today. He set a high standard for the other fellas to follow!
Remember when the teacher would give us all two pieces of red construction paper and we'd staple them together to make our Valentine card folder? We'd decorate it all up with crayons, put our name up on the top....And then all of the classroom walls would be full of those folders hanging there...Just waiting for February 14th to see who put a card in there for you. Back then, those little boxes of Valentine cards always had a couple just for your teacher. I remember taking my time to pick out just the right one for MY teacher. Until her death, my mother would still remind me of the year I gave one to Miss Banks (my third grade teacher) that I signed "from your scholar". Heck, I didn't know scholar meant really smart...I just thought it sounded cool!
Even back in the day, there were the popular kids and the unpopular kids. Some of the popular ones were a bit snooty and gave their valentine's only to the kids in their inner circle. Some of the have nots didn't have the money to buy the cards to give in the first place. I remember looking around the room on February 14th and seeing the looks on some of the faces when their little folder only had a very few cards in it. Some of these kids had spent the time to make their own cards out of notebook paper or leftover pieces of construction paper. These are the kids that had the TRUE spirit of Valentine's! Everybody in the class always got a card from me! It's sad that some people got (and get) pleasure from seeing that sad look on someone else's face. Yes, Valentine's Day can be cruel....but yes, it can also be exhilirating when it's taken on as a Happy Valentine's Day mission!
Yep...those made by my friends who didn't have store bought Valentine's were (and still are) my favorite! I still have a box full of those cards...Gonna have to pull 'em out and look at 'em again REAL soon.
Oh, well....Valentine's Day is coming whether I'm ready or not! Are YOU ready? Do YOU have a special Valentine? Better get those boxes of candy, bouguets of roses and mushy cards early...It's going to be over before you know it....I hope so, anyway! But I'm gonna wear red to work on the 14th, just in case....And put on some lipstick!
And, Bert.....Wherever you are....HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!
Until next time....Keep on dancin'!
I'm tickled pink you've come to visit my blog...Now won't you please talk to me?....And leave a comment?
Kristye, girl I think you missed your calling! Need to think about writing a book. I love how you stir up memories like these. Thanks so much for your blog, I so enjoy reading it, and exactly who were all those roses from? I'm most positive one bunch had to be from Percy.
ReplyDeleteif only i were around you to teach me the moves i still think we can cut a rug even today my life has been blessed knowing you ...u r one terrific lady,,dont kid your-self,,,
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