With Valentine’s Day fast approaching…this will be a different kind of column. It is one that is meant to stir the deepest feelings we have for those we love…those we will always hold close because they actually own…a piece of our heart.
As Valentine’s Day will soon be here I went to the store to purchase special valentines for the seven people who mean so much to me…Bud, my children, and my remaining three siblings. We had just buried one of our sisters and those of us siblings who remained…seemed to quickly realize that either age or illness could select any one of us at any time. That’s life but that also became a time for us to ‘see’ that we haven’t often enough let the others KNOW how much we really cared for them.
Would you believe…in going to several stores I couldn’t find anything that quite filled the bill? However, as fate often does, as soon as I walked in the door to our home I saw a rubber heart shaped squeeze ball that one uses when their arthritic hands need to be loosened up a bit. It was then I knew what I must do to let those I really care for know in their hearts…how I felt about them.
I began to plan. I would buy enough red material to make seven small stuffed hearts. I would embellish each of them with my art work and lace…and add a red ribbon hanger near the top.
On this heart I would write: “Whenever you need me, hold this gift in your hand, give it a squeeze, and KNOW you are holding a piece of my heart.” The work I would put into each of these would be different…and would be a labor of love because each person’s personality would take over the heart as I made it.
For Bud…because he is a computer geek, the letters “I love you” and my name would be highlighted on its keys. On my brother, Bobby’s, would be a syringe…because he’s diabetic…and the syringe would be filled with “LOVE”. (Although Bobby is in his 70’s, he will always be my little brother, Bobby.) Each of the other ‘loves of my life’ would receive the same treatment.
A personal note would let each person know how much I love them…and would be attached to the heart in a small envelope with a picture of an old fashioned mail van on its front. This note would tell them that there are not enough words in existence to convey the amount of love my heart holds for them…and that it has over-flowed into this stuffed heart.
As I was coming up with the above, I got to thinking about all the readers my columns have had since I began writing for papers when I was in the 9th grade…and how thankful I am today…because what I have learned from so many of my readers who have written to me…is that we don’t have to physically meet another person to have feelings for them. Many of you have helped to make me what I am today…and have encouraged me to think outside the box.
When I decided to actually put myself into making both the stuffed valentines and into the letters I attach to them I came to realize there are so many people who come along during our life…and to whom we owe a debt of gratitude.
So…know that many of you…now own a bit of my heart. All the letters and emails from you have motivated me to try harder, to learn more, and to put real feeling into my writing. AND I encourage you to think about making a stuffed heart for those you love…and giving it to them on the 14th of February…along with a personal letter from you expressing both caring and a bit of humor as you….”remember the time we…”
Plus, if you so choose, feel free to borrow anything I’ve written in this column. Just consider it a personal valentine from me to you…
George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism