For Love or Money
Life has gotten complicated. It seems everything we do has so many layers that I feel like I’m getting ready to go outside in the middle of winter in South Dakota. We check our e-mail, voicemail, Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites. We text instead of talk. What’s happened to simple communication between people and the pleasure of enjoying someone’s company face to face.
Valentine’s Day used to be a day where lovers would express their love for one another with a simple card with a nice verse that expresses your feelings, flowers, candy, maybe dinner and or a movie. These options still remain today, but the simpleness is gone. Valentine’s Day is now a mega commercial spending event. You can personalize your card with your own voice, you can find a card that plays “your song” when you open it. The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion valentine cards are sent each year worldwide, the second largest card sending holiday (Christmas is number one). It’s not just a dozen roses or a fresh bouquet. There are flower/candy combinations, flower/teddy bear combinations, vases of all shapes, colors and sizes. Valentines candy ranges from bags of M&M’s (my favorite) to custom blended truffles. Dinner reservations are prix-fixe menus with the normal dinner prices raised and you need to guarantee your reservation with a credit card. And if it’s a popular restaurant, chances are they will overbook and the service will not be as good. It gets to the point that you feel guilty if you haven’t spent a bunch of money.
Demonstrating your love for someone should not be a once a year thing. Three of the simplest words in the English language are “I love you.” It’s a phrase most of us probably don’t say enough to those we really care about. They say “the best things in life are free” “and money can’t buy you love.” I agree.
Happy Valentine’s Day and Happy Anniversary to the love of my life for the past 34 years.
Jeff Mitchell