Want to share some Valentine's Day memories?

[Bennie Jets]

Would you like to share a memory? I'll go first.

Mine is not so painful since it was fun and in the past. Alan and I started going out at the end of 1991 and Valentine's Day 1992 I gave him a cute card and wrote in it: "Do you want to be more than friends?" Hey - you know the rest of the story, right? The answer was Yes! =] The card had two little critters on it that held hands - we both loved the critters - unusual and scruffy but lovely together, just like us.

Since we were very unconventional, we did not do much on Valentine's Days after that. He did get me chocolates at one point but I am very spoiled and not a big chocolate fan, so the Russel Stover boxes did not cut it for me. When he got some for me, I think he ate most of them himself.

I did get him little Snoopy ones some years, because he loved the Peanuts and especially Snoopy.

He did send me the most beautiful red roses to my office at work once, on an off day, just like that. My tight-hearted office mate immediately jumped in and said: it is your birthday and when I said it wasn't, she said 'Well, he had to!?' like Alan may have done something wrong and just sent me flowers because of that. I was so weak back then and just let her run roughshod over me and nodded a yes. I was so mad at myself for that ever since because *he did not have to*!  He sent them to me because he loved me, just like that, and we just had that kind of relationship and I let the stupid c-o-w ruin that bit for me/him in that instant. Did not defend him to show who he was in the world. But never mind. That is who he was. People stopped in the hallway to say Wow! what a bouquet. That was not on Valentine's Day. So that day does not have to hurt me now. =]

After 2015 we spent most holidays and birthdays in the hospital. Last Valentine's Day was no exception. I did bring him some chocolates in a heart shaped box and *more importantly* a nice steak and a cold Diet Dr. Pepper (the only thing he ever wanted to drink). I brought the steaks from our favorite restaurant, complete with dishes and silver ware from home, so we could have a nice Valentine's dinner together. I loved him so! Now I do have to cry. Sorry. I would do anything for him, and there were some things I wish I could have done differently (so much) because I did not see.

[jmmosley53]

Benne Jets,

How sweet.  I love seeing the photos.

We never really celebrated Valentines Day much after our 1st Valentines Day together.  On the 1st he gave me flowers and chocolates.  On the 2nd Valentines he didn't give me a gift.  I asked him about it and he said 'I gave you your Valentines Day gift last year, are you saying you want another one?'  That was the standing joke every year after wards.  Rick like to give gifts out of the blue.  He didn't like designated gift days very much.  I always gave him a home made card.  He would make a paper airplane out of it and we'd fly it around till it broke or we got bored with the game.

[KayC]

We always went to our church's valentine banquet.  It was hard years after that when he was gone, but they finally quit having them.  I didn't go to church yesterday, still not feeling well from my thrush but heard they were passing out valentine's balloons and I just am not up to it, made the day about my dog instead.  It doesn't help that my last dog companion, Arlie, Valentine's was his birthday.    Missing them both.

[Sparky1]

We had a friend that threw a Valentine's gala at a hall every year and most years we attended. We're talking about 700 people so it was a formal dinner and dancing affair. My best memories are of my wife and I slow dancing and looking at each other in the eyes. My soul would melt the way she used to look at me. We kissed on the dance floor, oblivious and not caring as to who was watching. She would always request our first wedding song and she used to sing me the words while we were dancing. Of course I always bought her roses, chocolates, cards, teddy bears, etc as well.

[CSN51]

Steve and I met at country dance classes that we were both going to. He had been taking the lessons for a few months when my friend, Kathy, and I started, and they would pair the more experienced dancers up with the newer ones to help them learn. I started towards the end of December, and had danced and chatted with Steve numerous times, and found him very nice to talk to and pleasant to dance with. In mid-February, the instructors announced that they would be holding a dance that weekend, on Valentine’s Day. I had just finished a dance with Steve, and while we were still standing there face to face, he asked if I’d like to go to the Valentine dance with him. I said, “Yes, thank you, that would be lovely.” He looked so surprised that I couldn’t help laughing, and asked, “Why do you look so surprised?” He told me that he thought he’d have to convince me, that he had a whole argument planned out, and was disconcerted when he didn’t have to use it, lol! 

When he came to pick me up, he brought me flowers. We went to eat at a hotel that was near where the dance was held. We had a wonderful time at the dance, and when he brought me home, he asked if he could take me to the movies the following Wednesday, and again, I said yes. After a couple of weeks, I introduced him to my three children by my first marriage. They all got along well with him, and in March, when my parents flew home from visiting my sister and her family in California, he offered to drive to the airport with me to pick them up. He and my Dad bonded immediately. Steve said that my Dad reminded him of his Grandpa, who had helped to raise him, and took him hunting and fishing as a boy. Dad loved that Steve enjoyed the out of doors like he did, and that he was good to me. Later that summer, I rented my house out and moved to the farm. We married a few years later...on Valentine’s Day. 

Steve always sent me flowers for Valentine’s Day and our Anniversary. I always got him a large box of Turtles, his favorite candy. (He had a real sweet tooth!) For the first several years we were together, we went out to eat, but one year, when the weather was supposed to be particularly bad, I suggested that we just get a couple of steaks to grill, have a baked potato and salad, and eat dinner at home. Steve grilled two ribeyes, I made the salad, the baked potatoes, and a pan of brownies for dessert. It was so much nicer than going out to eat, we did that every year afterwards. This was the first Valentine’s Day that I have spent alone in 28 years. I got lots of kind, supportive calls and texts from family and friends. I shed more than a few tears during the day, but I got out all the cards that he’d sent me over the years, looked at photographs of him, and wrote him a letter, telling him how much I still love and miss him. It was hard...very hard, but honestly, not quite as bad as I’d feared. I know that I’ll miss him as long as I live, but I will survive, and try to be happy again, because I know that was what he wanted for me, and I know that wherever he is now, he is at peace, and will always love me, too.

[Roxeanne]

Csn51 as i'm reading your story when you and Steve met i 'm thinking that when you met a soulmate everything is so easy, no efforts at all.

It was the same for me, easy beautiful and full of strong emotions!

Unforgettable! For the first time in my life i was not struggling, i went with the flow of life, i was in tune with life.

Every piece  of the puzzle fits in its place by itself.

I knew !

Now i have to put in a lot of effort to make  things go right and in the end sometimes i feel it's not worth it!