Tomorrow will be Valentine’s Day.
Your Mum and I will probably be spending it at home, eating pizza and relaxing with you in front of Saturday night TV.
And it’s OK, you know.
Having a small person around (you are nearly 3 now, and how quickly has that time gone) can severely put a damper on the heady romance and courtship that you’ll one day experience with your own love. It can at times seem sad, as you mourn what you have lost or can’t have. But the thing to remember is that if you work at the romance and never take it for granted, you can snatch small moments, even as a tired Dad, and also hold on to the fact that one day your small son will be grown up and independent. When that time comes, if you’ve worked at keeping the romance alive and the fire burning, even if only slightly, it shouldn’t take much to fan that small flame back into a roaring blaze.
Don’t be ashamed or embarrassed to tell your girlfriend or wife that you love them Lawrie. Don’t worry about looking like a fool when you buy them flowers, send them notes or go down on one knee to propose to them in public. It’s not weak to have and to show feelings, particularly to people that love you and care about you.
When you’re a bit older, you’ll start to wonder if you’ll receive any Valentines Cards. For a time, you might not get any and that’ll hurt. But try to have patience and trust that in time, it’ll happen.
Later, you’ll find yourself settled down with someone who, above all, you know is a good person and genuinely wants to be the best they can be with you. When you find this person, make sure that even though you’ve got them, you still choose and send them romantic Valentine’s cards. And roses. You cannot go wrong with a dozen red roses, despite what other’s might say.
And one final tip. Always, always get an extra Valentines card, write in it left handed (or get a friend to do so to ensure that your sweetheart can’t tell your handwriting), and post it back to your love to arrive on Valentines Day. (a) If they don’t realise it’s from you it will make them feel just a little bit happier about themselves, (b) if they secretly know it’s from you they’ll still have a bit of a smile that their chap can have some fun and in the process make them smile too. Win Win.
I wish you many happy Valentines Day’s – and lots of love.
