Valentine’s Day -love from the heart

Valentine’s Day certainly can be lame, or a headache, and it can be very costly. But, it doesn’t have to be! Let’s make it a LOVING February day of pink and red fun with hearts, flowers, candy and chocolate for our friends, wives, girlfriends and family.

The day created to recognize those we love risks turning into a day of pressure, expectations, disappointments and anger (fear, frustration, hurt, unfairness) IF we don’t, plan, communicate, and keep our expectations in line with reality.

As we ponder how to show our love, recall the “Five Languages of Love”: Words of affirmation; Quality time; Receiving Gifts; Acts of Service; Physical touch.   If you know the love language of your valentine and choose to show your love with that knowledge, your loved one will feel your love, and that is the goal. You will find that a little effort and small amounts of money can reap genuine results.

Mother Teresa, Nobel Peace Prize recipient and founder of Missionaries of Charity in India, said: “Spread love everywhere you go: first of all in your own home. Give love to your children, to a wife or husband, to a next-door neighbor.” She lived the meaning of Valentine’s Day every day with all people, even the poorest of the poor.

Leo Buscaglia, known as “Dr. Love” who was an author and motivational speaker said of Love: “Love is always bestowed as a gift—freely, willingly, and without expectation….We don’t love to be loved; we love to love.”

Communicate with your loved ones and decide together what you can do differently to show your love for each other. Make it about gifts from the heart and not from the wallet.

Until the next time: Live while you live!