As I sit at my
kitchen island writing this today, I can feel the sun warming my shoulder. It’s a cruel illusion, though, because
when I turn around to look out the window, I see masses of white snow on my shrubbery, lining
the streets and piled up in high mounds on the sidewalks outside. This winter is in competition with the worst winter of 1996 and I think it’s
winning.
So even though
Valentine’s Day falls right in the middle of my least favorite season, with its
ubiquitous red and pink genial hearts and my sweet smelling deep crimson roses
on the center of the table, it’s little consolation for the endless snowfall
and bitter cold.
The only comfort I
do have during this time of year are the things that warm my heart, such as
buying the first Valentine’s Day card for my granddaughter, Lexi, and her first balloon in the shape of a
heart. I loved her reaction to it–
not a smile or a delicious, joyous giggle, like the one she had the other day
while she watched the dogs play, rather a thoughtful, intellectual puzzlement
to something new. Of course a wide-eyed grin did emerge when she managed to figure out that if she pulled the string,
the balloon came down. She is
crawling now, her little tush covered with hearts, speeding across the hardwood
floor, only stopping to pull herself up and try to stand on her own. Just being with her right before going out to Valentine’s
dinner with grandpa was all I needed at the end of a cold winter day.
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| “Nobody can be uncheered with a balloon.” ― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh |
What other things warm my heart? Naturally, going out to dinner with Grandpa Mark was a nice
reprieve to the arctic weather we’ve been contending with, along with a
surprise visit from my younger daughter, Kim, home for the weekend. My brief escape to 80-degree Miami last week and a chance to hug my best friend. And not only buying a Valentine
card for my granddaughter and my husband, but also one for my 90 year-old Mom. And let’s not forget- when the old
boiler isn’t enough, my dog, Sonny, cuddles up to me all night and takes
the chill right out of my bones.
So even though I’m
counting down the days of winter, the blessings that make my life special- my littlest Valentine– Lexi, my
family, good friends and a furry dog to slobber my face with warm sloppy
kisses counts so much more. It even makes the cold of a very rough winter easier to bear.
What warms your heart?
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