Happy Valentine’s Day!
How fun is it that we have a holiday dedicated to love? Even though some may consider this a hallmark holiday, this actually is one of my favorites because I simply believe that it’s a great reminder of how we should make the special people in our lives feel every day.
To celebrate today, I wanted to share a special story and quote that I hold dearly. It’s really simple, but I think of it often. It embodies so much of how I believe gratitude – and love in general – should be practiced.
My grandmother, who we called Mimi, grew up on a rural town in the heart of the Australian outback. Her dad ran a general store and their family didn’t have much money. She moved to America as an immigrant when she married my grandfather – they met on the famous Bondi Beach when he was stationed there during World War II – and though she and my grandfather provided a wonderful home to my dad, aunts and uncles, they also grew up humble.
I tell you this because I believe these factors played into her wisdom immensely.
She was the kind of woman who loved fashion and was always was on trend, yet never spent lots of money on it and showed it’s all how you wear items. She was a lover of words. Every present was matched with a handwritten note, to which the present itself always dulled in comparison. She sent a card and $5 for every holiday — even to her grown kids — to let us know she was thinking of us. She called just to say hi. Also, she focused on quality over quantity.
I hope that helps to paint a colorful picture of the woman I knew her to be.
For our wedding, Mimi gave Doug and I one of our most cherished presents. It was a single, petite, clear crystal vase. Attached to it was a little handwritten note that said,
“Always remember that a single rose means as much as a dozen.”
In other words, it’s the thought that counts.
I think of these words perhaps more than any other quote that I’ve heard. Not just because of the woman who said it, but because I have found it to be so applicable to life and love.
Whether you’re giving a dozen roses, or just a single one, the same thought is there. You are giving something to make another feel special. Though generous and of course appreciated, the actual quantity doesn’t matter.
On days like today, when grandiose actions are aflutter and love is – quite literally – in the air, I think of this. What I have learned of love so far — what Mimi always taught — goes far beyond what the actual gift is. It’s in giving something from the heart. It is appreciating it from the heart too, which to me includes removing expectations or perhaps even comparisons. It’s time spent, a simple “I’m thinking of you” or “I love you”, and if you’re really lucky, a lovely and thoughtful demonstration of it.
Happy Valentine’s Day, my friends! My your day be filled with roses.
PS – Here’s 12 Thoughtful + Free Date Ideas!
