Valentine's Day inspires a variety of emotions, some enthusiastic and others hostile. My favorite memories of the day were in grade school with the little paper cut outs we made and then walked all around the room giving one to everyone. It was a big deal but a political nightmare.
Not everyone has a romantic love interest today. Maybe it inspires memories that are bittersweet or even horrible. For those of you who will enjoy the day with your honey, I say good for you.
Love among friends is also a very warm, fuzzy emotion. See Sandy and Brandy? They have been good friends for over seven years. While they are not littermates and Sandy was around for a few years before Brandy came along, they enjoy each others company.
Too often the love of friends is looked at as a consolation prize for those who don't have a romantic love interest. However, this is hardly the case. Good friends are in our lives by choice.
Love of spouse or friend is only a shadow of a greater love - that which God has for us. It's hard to wrap our minds around that. Our spouses disappoint us and friends let us down. God never leaves us, even when we mess up, forget all about him, get angry with him and look for a cheap substitute. He is faithful like no other lover could hope to be. His love runs deeper than that of a lifelong friend. Just because we can't feel it or imagine it, God's love is real. And love endures forever.
I love this post. A reminder yes, i have been blessed w/ a husband who gave me a hoops and yo you silly card and friends who have been there for me through thick and thin valentines day or not - this post more importantly is a great reminder of His enduring love for us whether we recognize it or not.
ReplyDeleteBut I'd be lying if I didn't say and I loved, loved, loved making a special little box in elementary school to put those little cut out valentines in. It was a time when valentines didn't necessarily come w/ candy packets built in but rather came w/ a well thought out elementary school mind that planned to be sure you gave the girls girl ones and the boys boy ones and you didn't mess up and accidentally give a too lovey one to a boy you didn't really lovey on. In spite of my children and their own valentines elementary fun . . . I must admitI had sort of forgotten valentines day wasn't always high school where you were sad if you didn't get the school carnation flowers that could be given out, or a lack of a date, or a husband forgetting, or friends not caring about it or new years for the pressures they bring. . . no, it was once fun cut outs with special little boxes and if lucky maybe some heart shaped cookies, and for me especially special when my dad gave us little russell stover boxes of 4 pieces of candy . . . yes, that's when valentines day was precious. but as you so greatly pointed out we are loved daily with or without little valentines whether we feel it or not. He loves us.