Valentine's Day,

Prior to Valentine's Day, I'd had the urge to decorate a cake.  Why?  Because I derive pleasure from being productive and creative in my own small way.  A decorated cake is a transformed cake.  So, the day before Valentine's Day......being the romantic that I am (I come by it honestly)  I decorated a gluten-free chocolate brownie cake.  I don't have much experience with decorating cakes but it's fun to experiment.

I didn't consult a recipe before making the icing (lack of perfectionism) which resulted in icing that was a little too soft and therefore not entirely cooperative but successful nonetheless.  So tantalizingly successful, in fact, that the eaters of the cake happily consumed it while shamelessly adding to it sickeningly large dollops of leftover icing..and then when there was no more cake to add the icing to, they ate it by the fork or finger full. Along with the satisfaction of productivity, comes the enjoyment of observing others' appreciation of one's handiwork.  Here is a photo of the aforementioned cake:

I celebrated Valentine's Day, a day given many other names (some far less classy than the original), with family and friend by eating cake and playing games.
The morning of February 14th, I received a Valentine in my Facebook inbox.  It was a batman Valentine that said, "LOOKING OUT for you on Valentine's Day."  It made me smile.  A fun way to start that day!  It reminded me of my elementary school days of receiving Valentines, those little rectangular cards (sometimes sealed in translucent envelopes) on which boys would write my name, usually spelling it incorrectly, and often forgetting to sign their names.  Granted, the absence of a signature may have been an intentional omission, in some cases, when the giver wished to remain an anonymous secret admirer....until he found out where he stood with me.  He first would have needed to send me a hand scribbled note written on a torn piece of notebook paper that read, "Do you like me? YES NO (circle one)" which may have been written before VDay but had been intercepted by a teacher or was sitting crumpled in the depths of his jeans pocket, periodically manipulated with dirty, sweaty fingers, awaiting that safe moment to release it to the intended recipient's friend. Rarely would such a note ever be given DIRECTLY to the addressee.

My earliest memory of a 'significant' Valentine gift was in grade 4 when a boy who I had a crush on gave me more than just a two-dimensional card.  He gave me a little assortment of things - one of which was a little pin with a fuzzy baby chick on top.  I never did find out if there was any significance to the selection of these gifts but I valued them just the same.

It's amazing what kind of emotions Valentine's Day evokes in people.  They either love the day or hate it.  I've concluded that Valentine's Day is similar to Christmas in that it is an occasion that predictably arrives each year which is either eagerly anticipated or despised depending on one's social situation.  Both occasions are romantic to some degree.

Valentines Day, I've concluded, is hardest for those who have lost love or are experiencing unrequited love.

Whether you're in a romantic relationship or not, the next time VDay rolls around, use the day to let someone know that they matter to you...it will make a difference in that person's day!

Do you have a Valentine's Day story to share?  Please post it in a comment! : )