Connections - Part 2

Ken and I have never really been "into" Valentine's Day. It falls just a week after my birthday and flowers Ken gave me for my birthday are still blooming, so we exchange romantic cards and that's about it. When the kids were little I'd try to make pink heart shaped pancakes. I understand they make molds for such culinary treats today, but mine were free-hand and they were pretty pathetic!

This Valentine's Day, however, is full of many different kinds of love.

1. Yesterday I was chatting with my mother in the lobby at Rosewood. Nearby sat another woman reading a Valentine that clearly said "To Mother". She read the card, put it away, took it out and re-read it, put it away, and again took it out and re-read it........over and over again. I'm sure her children don't have a clue how immensely important that card and its message of love is to their mom.

2. On my mom's bed today is a very large white stuffed bear with a red heart saying "Be My Valentine". A gift from her family? Sadly, no. A gift from the housekeeper with whom she and I connected on Thursday? Yes! I'm awestruck by this act of love!

3. I spent this afternoon at friend Sharie's "Potty Party". Sharie organized this event so we could all rejoice over the new bathroom which replaced a pantry closet in her home. All 14 of us duly inspected the new room and pronounced it wonderful. The real reason for the party, however, was to celebrate friendship. The majority of the alliterative potty party participants became friends in the late 60's when we were young Spanish teachers in Des Plaines School District 62. Over the years, teachers in other disciplines were deemed "our kind of people" and joined our informal group. We have shared each other's lives for over 40 years - yikes! Eleven years ago, at a breakfast to celebrate the 50th birthday of our youngest member, we decided that we needed to formalize our group a bit, named ourselves "Club 62", and began monthly Saturday morning breakfast meetings. How important are these breakfasts? Well, our only out-of-state member, Bonnie, regularly drives in from Michigan just for breakfast! That's special girl-friends love!

4. Tonight Ken and I are celebrating our friend Jill's birthday with Gail and Charlie. They are friends for "ONLY" 27 years. Our children grew up together and we've been there for each other during good and not-so-good times. We know each other's "real" families, but these friends are as close to "real" family as any friend could be. What a privilege to share non-family family love!

So, Ken and I are not dining tonight at Spiaggia with the Obamas, but I am truly thankful for this Valentine's Day and the opportunities it has presented to share so many forms of love.