The day for love

To my sweetheart, Ken: You are the creamer to my coffee! Love ya!

Valentine's Day is tomorrow. It is one of the so called, "holidays" that is dreaded the most by people. You would think that Halloween would strike fear in the heart of even the most harden person. Afterall, that "holiday" it is about spooky frightening horrors, right? But not the case. What we fear more than the boogieman is that cute little cherub in the diaper with wings and red-tipped arrows. That strikes more fear than Jason with a blood-dripping machete. It is a day that was obviously created by the greeting card industry and dept store millionaires to help get people in the buying mood when they haven't even recovered from the mindless over-spending of Christmas.

This fear of Valentine's Day is an equal opportunity enforcer. It brings dread to those who have significant others, the love of their lives or this one will do until something better comes along, or to the poor unfortunate souls with nobody to love. First, I'll deal with the ones with sweethearts. They are sweating bullets today as they try and think of something original to show their undying devotion. Not an easy task for those who have long-term relationships. You've already given plenty of "heart-felt" cards along with the occasional funny-I'm only kidding-card. You've given the favorite flower and chocolates. And the jewelry store knows you by name, social security and credit card number. The TV gives plenty of ideas showing their products as the quick solution to achieving your desired end for the evening. Most are hilarious but it does help give ideas to stave off the tremors of being empty-handed. But as most people know, it is the effort and the thought that counts, not the cute teddy bear or naughty nightie. (doesn't hurt, though) It's getting harder and harder every year to figure out how to give an original representation of your love. Hence the dread, the all-consuming panic! That Cherub should be lured into a dark forest where Predator awaits to capture it for use as a weapon to annihilate other worlds. Then we could all breathe a sigh of relief, cross February 14 off the calendar for good and get on with the business of life.

And what about those poor uncoupled lonely people? Don't you just love Valentine's Day? For those people with no "other" this day is like an annoying fly that just won't go away no matter how much you swat it. Everyone knows you have no love and the look of "poor-poor thing" is in their eyes. There are the endless questions about what plans you have on the 14th. And the dreaded call from Mom who just wants to catch up on life but really feels the need to give her unending advice on how to snare a man. And the demands of explanation as to why you haven't perfected that skill. I feel for you as you contemplate hanging up the phone or just dropping it into the kitchen drawer and closing it. While mommie-dearest barks on, the turn up the volume on your TV. Instead of distracting relief, you have to see those darn disgusting commercials of men giving sparkling diamonds. Or the one about the gift of a smartly dressed teddy bear arriving in the office as all the women scream with delight, exclaiming, "Where can I get a guy like that?" And forget watching tv shows this week cause every freaking channel has some love story sure to bring tears to your eyes, as your nose runs and your brain gets high off cookie dough ice cream. Then you come down to earth and realize that it's all a bunch of bull cause that "forever" love shown on that stupid movie will blossom and grow a few years until all the unattended weeds of the world come gnarling around and chokes the life out of it! Oh my goodness, though I haven't been in your shoes for a long time and I happen to have a wonderful man in my life, believe me when I say that I feel for those with no beaus on heart day. By the way, shouldn't you check on your Mom? Just say, pull that phone out of the drawer, thanks for the call and hang up. Deep breath, my friend, the 14th will come and go and you will live to see another day.

As for me and my thoughts about this commercialize holiday. Jeeze, we don't need a day set aside to show endless love and devotion! Those of us in relationships know that we do this on a daily basis, right? I do say, love ya, hun, as I leave for work, right? Don't I tell you how wonderful you are every day? Okay, maybe not daily but certainly my love knows by my actions; the little things I do all the time to show love. Like just the other day, when I decided I needed a snack. I didn't get just enough for me! I put extra in my bowl so I could share it with my honey. Or the time that I bought a candy bar and then grabbed my sweetie's favorite one for him, just because! And don't I always grab his dirty clothes when I wash mine? Honestly, it's the little things that mean so much. We don't need no special day, do we honey? Every day is gosh-darn special when you have someone as considerate as me to love.

For what it's worth! Happy Valentines Day...Dear wonderful hubby, As Rita Rudner always said, "I love being married. It's so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life." Smiles!

And if anyone sees that Cherub, just sound an alarm and I'll come running with a rope. I've got some single friends who have plans for that little guy!