Valentines Day & Romance

Valentine's Day, February 14th, has a particular significance for me, as it’s my birthday. Actually, being born on “the most romantic day of the year” feels special. It’s particularly lovely when I am with someone (twice the fuss) and now I'm older, lonely when I’m not, because everyone is partnered off and doing romantic things. I have this completely illogical belief that my birth date has something to do with why I adore romantic gestures. I am also drawn to anything heart shaped, as well as the colour red. Though, to date, I have not had the desire to become a cardiac surgeon.

Cynics will say St Valentine’s Day has become commercial nonsense. Tacky perhaps, but any excuse to be romantic, is surely a good thing? What is romance though? It is really a pre-scripted soppy card, single red rose, chocolates and one of the mass produced "I Love You" teddy bears - all bought in a one-stop-shop at 4.00pm the day before? All that’s nice enough (minus the bear) – but for me, the most romantic gestures are those that have required planning, effort and thought.

I don’t need expensive gifts but need memorable moments...

I know someone who has been very happily married for over 30 years. I really do mean very happily. Whenever she spoke about her husband, she used to light up and talk about him as if she had just met him. “Oh Carrie” she sighed “you have to meet him, he’s absolutely gorgeous and so funny”. When they were together they looked at each other with such respect and joy. The banter, kindness, touching and chemistry was still there. I thought to myself how lucky they were to have found such love.


Or was it luck?

She then told me what kind of husband he was and the efforts he went to to make her smile. He would meet her at the train station on a rainy day with an umbrella, run a bath and make her a meal when he knew she would come home exhausted. As a poor student travelling around India, he had bought her an expensive necklace, just because the stone matched her eyes and carried it around in a backpack for 10 weeks. He had a pashmina scarf embroidered with their initials, because he loved her neck. He made her a cup of tea every morning and told her (this is the best bit) WHY he loved her, every single day. He bought her flowers, throughout the year, for no reason at all. He left her love notes around the house for her to find. She said not once in 30 years had he made her feel there was another more attractive women in existence than her. He did things like this all their life together, when times were tough and when they were easy.

Now, THAT, my friends, is true romance. No wonder she is still in love with him and fancies him after 30 years...he made her feel special and appreciated by anticipating her needs and just enjoying making her smile. Feeling special, that you were worth some effort...now, you cannot buy that at Clinton Cards!