Because Love Is Worth It …

“Love and intimacy — our ability to connect with ourselves and others, is at the root of what makes us sick and what makes us well, what causes sadness and what brings happiness, what makes us suffer and what leads to healing.

I hope you and your loved ones enjoy a special Valentine's Day together. I look forward to spending mine surrounded by my amazing family.” (Dr. Dean Ornish, MD)

Some people make a matter of personal propaganda the fact that they do not celebrate Valentine’s Day. They wear the fact that they “think it’s stupid, commercial, dumb, useless” like a badge of personal pride and loftiness. They use that attitude as sort of a superiority mark against the rest of humanity, too low to be dumb, stupid and useless enough to celebrate it. 

All that makes me want to do is chuckle and sigh and pray  that they are going to snap the heck out of it, before their lives are spent. At least snap the heck out of thinking they are so right and the rest of the world is so wrong. 

I personally don’t believe we need a holiday to celebrate Jesus, either! I believe He should be celebrated every single second of the day and every day of the year, with every breath we take. And I definitely do not believe that we need to buy our loved ones millions of dollars of crap they won’t need in His name, around His holiday, either. And yet, on December 25^th we do just that! How is that less commercial than marking a day in the calendar to say to your loved ones “ I love you” on a special note, I see not!

I don’t believe, as Americans, we need any special holiday to say “thank you” for everything we’ve got on this beautiful land. To be appreciative for what our history and traditions have given us. I also don’t believe we should celebrate it with stuffing ourselves with turkey – why not chicken? Or mushrooms for that matter?! And yet, we do that. Every year. And that, somehow, makes us less commercial? And less “cheap” than buying a card on Valentine’s Day? Why?! 

I am grateful for my husband, and my family and Jesus, and His Resurrection and what America has given me every day of the year - sure. But I love the opportunity to stop, ponder and make a “big personal deal” about it at least once a year. I tell my husband “I love you” every day. But he only gets his favorite chocolates once a year. He’s a diabetic – and an occasion to allow that treat is welcome. I don’t wear it as a badge. I just see it as my personal choice. 

I hope you all enjoyed today – doing whatever it was you were doing. Not out of spite and self assurance, but just because it made sense to you. And along with Dr. Ornish said – I welcome one glorious day that reminds me why I love my husband and that this love leads me to healing, happiness, peace and wellness! Let this be my only sin, that I am loving celebrating love.