My sweet mother, a creatively ingenious soul, lovingly hand crafts a Valentine card for me each year around this time.
She ties together a pretty pattern and incorporates some of my great-grandmother’s buttons from her extensive collection of button art.
She then searches for a Bible verse to fit with her craft and uses snail mail to send me a Valentine the old-fashioned way, in which this this new-fangled world of technology simply cannot compete.
What does this symbolize to me?
That love is not a cheesy Hallmark holiday defined by chocolate covered fruit and a run on expensive floral deliveries.
Rather, Valentine’s Day symbolizes a love only a mother can know when reminded of her children (not that she ever forgets).
Love is a husband faithfully standing by the side of his wife, honoring those precious vows they both uttered when young, in love, financially hard-pressed, yet still very much fancy free.
Love is adopting a senior dog, whose owner passed away. Others may prefer a puppy with no history written on its little paws. Rather, this senior dog looks lovingly to her new owner with a blank sadness because her lifelong companion has left her loyal side.
Love is a father putting sandbags in the back of his daughter’s vehicle each year before the weather turns wintry. Even when she has far surpassed the age of purchasing her very own sand bags (or large bags of kitty litter) to put in the back of her own vehicle at the hopeful whispers of winter weather.
Love is a young son putting away the dishes or cleaning his room without being told. Simply because he can tell his Mother needs a break and deserves a chance to sit and relax after the end of a long, hard day.
Love holds many definitions. One of which is receiving a hand-made Valentine from my sweet mother.
Her creativity flows with every project she undertakes. Her love is translated by sharing, giving, and always putting others ahead of her own needs.
Hers is a love emulated by the man in which she aspires to be most like. Her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
The greatest love ever shown to man was the sacrifice He knowingly made upon that splintered wooden tree hundreds of years ago. Arms open wide, coupled with a heart bursting with a love only the Father of all creation could know. In a life-changing, historical, unprecedented way only His son could show.
That…is true love.
Happy Love Month! May you daily see differing versions of love that touch your heart and remind your soul how to show love to others.
