What Valentine's Day Is Really About...

True romance isn't Romeo and Juliet
who died together but Grandma and Grandpa who grew old together.

I can barely walk into the Safeway store without a bit of a chuckle. Valentine's day, and the romance it proclaims, has erupted a bit like Mt. St. Helens. Sort of like the hearts all over this blog design today:) 

Everywhere you look there are huge balloons and hearts, and flowers and plants and streamers and cards. All proclaiming romance and love. 

A young lady in the card aisle gave a huge sigh and said, almost to herself, "I wish I had a boyfriend who would bring me candy and a huge Valentine card. It would make my girlfriends jealous." I almost stopped and said something, but held back knowing that my words about romance and Valentine's Day might fall on deaf ears. I have a bit of an old- fashioned view of romance and it isn't about fancy cards and spending lots of money.

Please don't misunderstand me. I love getting flowers and cards, but mostly from Bert because they are an expression of his deep caring and devoted love for me. 

A bit of history here. When I first met Bert my heart 
was broken, shattered in small tiny pieces. I was broken. I vowed never, ever to give my heart to anyone again. I didn't think, no I knew, I would never survive another heart breaking like the one I had been through. And I was truthfully a bit cynical.

I didn't want the kind of love and romance that looked all perfect and romantic and nifty from the outside, I wanted a deep love. A passion and caring that resembled an older couple who knew and adored each other no matter what.

And then I met Bert. 

And inch by inch he started to heal my hurting heart.
Day by day he won my trust, not in hollow words that might sound good on a Hallmark card, but words of truth backed by actions that showed loyalty and caring. A no matter what... kind of love.

A love that looked less like Romeo and Juliet who died together and more like grandma and Grandpa who grew old together.

I love that saying. Grandma and Grandpa growing old together, deeply loving each other, is what Valentine's Day is really about, at least it is to me.

So what is romantic to me about my relationship to Bert? Here are just a few of the things that move my heart...

Romantic to me is just holding Bert's hand when we go on a walk.  Looking in his eyes when he is sad. Hearing him laugh or snore. Seeing his face when he looks at our grandchildren. 

Romantic to me is hearing him sing next to me in church or seeing him raise his arm in worship to the God we know and love and serve.

Romantic to me is seeing what a good person Bert is and how he gives his heart so freely. I love that he loves me with every cell in his being and tells me how much I matter to him. I love that he cries at movies and isn't ashamed of his tears. I love that when I walk with him he doesn't stare at other women, but I can feel his whole focus on me.

Romantic to me is how Bert makes me feel seen and special and that he is romantic and caring and kind 365 days a year, not just on Valentine's Day. I love that getting me a card is not an obligation, but  something he does because he wants to put a smile on my face. 

Super romantic to me is that when I leave the house Bert walks out to the car and waves me off with a kiss... pointing up to the sky while saying "Praise the Lord!" I love it when I have a grandchild in the car, when he does that, and I see my grand babies of all ages roll down the car window and yell to their Boppa, "Praise the Lord, Bops!

That's true romance to me.

Romantic to me was when Bert was in the hospital, and was so ill that he might never come home again, and he held my hand and tried to comfort me when my tears would not stop falling. 

Romantic to me is when Bert vacuums the rugs on Friday, his day off, not because the rugs are so dirty, but because he knows it makes me happy. Yes, to me, vacuuming is romantic because it's an act of unselfish love. It's what Valentine's Day is really all about.

I recently heard this song, Not Even the King, by Alicia Keys. It's so simple, but the message is so profound. It's my favorite Valentine's song for Bert this year. Don't miss hearing this!

Happy Valentine's day, my sweet hubby.
This song is for you! (and the rest of you to enjoy as well.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ahsFa6AYRaQ


Happy Valentine's Day to all of you!
God Bless...
Love, Linda