THE DAY OF LOVE SOON APPROACHES

Today is the first day of February; with the month of February comes the day set aside for love.  It is not too soon to begin to think about how to show that special person in your life how much they mean to you.

The Christmas stock had not even been priced to seventy-five percent off before the stores started to ready for the next holiday.  I began to see Valentine’s Day paraphernalia right after the first of the year.  Boxes of valentines for children to pass out at school, heart shaped boxes of gooey chocolates and of course my favorite candy for this time of year, conversational hearts.

There is just something about those sweet colorful confections with the red words printed on them that tug at my heart.  Words that proclaim a message of love such as:

HUG ME….

KISS ME….

HOT STUFF….

SWEET TALK….

BE MINE….

Like my addiction for consuming certain candy on Halloween, Christmas and Easter, I need a small box of conversational hearts for Valentine’s Day.  No more than twenty pieces will satisfy my craving.  I open the box, placing the contents on a plate and read each and every message.  It is fun to see how many duplicates I can find.  I don’t have any favorite saying, but always look to see if something new had been added for the year.

A few years ago I wrote a poem about conversational hearts as a tribute to a February favorite.  Please don’t think I am a candy junkie but there are four times a year I indulge with a certain amount of what I call ‘my holiday delights’.

                                    Thirty pieces of candy corn on Halloween

                                    A candy cane on Christmas Day

                                    Twenty jelly beans (black and purple only) on Easter

                                    Box of conversational hearts on Valentine’s Day

Each of the four listed candies triggers a pleasant childhood memory which may become a future blog but a definite story for my memoirs. 

As I walk through the stores during these weeks leading up to February 14^th, I am amazed at the displays of possible gifts to give your love one.  In one particular store I found Valentine water globes.  Of course I had to pick one up to use as a dust collector on my coffee table.  Another store had heart shaped lollipops tied together as a bouquet.  These two items caught my eye.  Of course on February 15^th they no doubt will go on sale as the stores make way for the St. Patrick’s Day and Easter items.

You are probably wondering what I am trying to convey in this blog.  Well it is simple.  In the next few weeks, I will be blogging about Valentine’s Day again; and reminding you not to forget to show the one you hold dear in your heart, or perhaps ones you hold dear in your heart, how much you care.  As for today, I just want to get your mind thinking about how to get ready to do so.  You have thirteen days from today to bestow your affections.  Perhaps a trip to a couple of stores in the next few days will give you ideas.  (I have mentioned a few objects that caught my eye.)                            

Your gesture does not have to be extravagant; as I was taught as a child,    it is the thought that counts.  Just ask my husband how easy it is for him to please me on Valentine’s Day. All I require is the box of candy hearts and a handmade card with a big heart and the words “Be Mine.”

Of course two days after the holiday I do expect more (that is my birthday).

HEARTS OF DELIGHT

© Scottie-ann Murphy

 Small confections……  

     Hot pink….                                                                   

         Pale green….

            Vivid Yellow….

                Bright Orange….

                     Light violet….

                        And pure white….

  Sitting inside a box

Red words written on them proclaim a message……

          BE MINE….

              I LUV U….

               HUG ME….

                KISS ME….

                  I AM YOURS….

                    HOT STUFF….

                        SWEET TALK….

                           BE MY VALENTINE

         

     They wait….

          For someone….

            Anyone…..

               To open….

                   Read the message...

                            Then devour....

  Savoring their sweet sugary delight on Valentine’s Day