My Facebook feed is full of love stories today, but my favorite is that of an old friend from California celebrating the 20th anniversary of asking his then 8-year-old future stepdaughter's permission to propose to her mom. "I told myself if she said no or was hesitant, then it just wasn't the time yet. Because I'd been in her shoes with a new parent spouse coming in, I understood the change that meant. Luckily she said yes, was excited and gave me a big hug."
Love is not just two young people over a candlelit dinner. Love is older adults finding ways to make already-formed families blend. Love is also DL studying the wall calendar and then saying, "Oh! Happy Valentine's Day!" and me saying, "Oh crap! I defrosted some burger for meatloaf; weren't we planning to have crab legs? You know? Romance?" And DL replying, "Meatloaf is fine, if you want meatloaf."
Love is also Cricket coming to work with me because I can't bear to leave her alone.
Love is a noncustodial parent's little girl running up with a big smile for a giant hug. Love is an expectant father cleaning the cat's litterbox even though he hates the jerk of a cat because his pregnant wife loves the danged thing. Love is eating tofu bacon because your spouse has high cholesterol. Love is getting up at 5 a.m. so your dogs don't miss out on their morning run when you have an early class. Love is having 3-year-old dog ashes by your bed because you can't bring yourself to scatter them as you'd planned. Love is DL doing all of the shoveling on snowy days so I can ski with the dogs. Love is my mom and sister emailing me obscure nutrition and obvious safety tips. Love is bundling up and filling the bird feeder when it is -40. Love is also chocolates and carrots and cheese and pie. Mac n cheese and lasagne and caribou soup. Love is HD ordering a black wolf stuffed animal and painting Roo's markings on it, and gently delivering it to my house as I stand on the porch and sob. Love is MK collecting her sweetest, most cuddly sled dogs into the house for me to cuddle. Love is bumping into KN at the Denali Center visiting her mom. Love is so many tears, and courage to face each new day.
3 comments:
Happy Valentine's Day, Auntie Daisy! Puppy is currently lying in a patch of sunlight, sun bathing. Her eyes are blinking. She never only blinks once. She blinks several times in a row. Oh boy! I just saw her nod! She nodded! I hope you can visit soon with Cricket! Gran wishes you a happy valentines day too!
Happy Belated Valentines day, Arvay. Love is also big virtual hugs coming your way from me.
@rara Happy Valentine's Day to you! It is good to grow up with a dog. I'm glad you have Puppy!
@BT, thank you! I always think of you when I tell my students how important it is to make good friends in college. They become your life's greatest treasures.
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