Valentine’s Day is always bittersweet for me. While I enjoy the flowers, candy and the other expressions of love, February 14th was also my Dad’s birthday. He has been gone now for over twenty years, yet the void is ever present on his special day. Valentine’s Day is the “day of love”, but for me it is also the day when I think of Dad the most out of any other day of the year.
When I and my siblings were growing up, Valentine’s Day was always a special day at our house. Mom planned Dad’s favourite meal and we bought or made him the “perfect” gift. He was always in a good mood on that day. We couldn’t wait for him to open our presents and have him praise us for giving him such wonderful gifts. Praise wasn’t something Dad gave out very often, but we could always count on getting some on this day. I recall one year in particular when we just knew that we had found the absolutely perfect present for Dad. Dad raised Hereford cattle and we had found a ceramic figure of a Hereford. Just as we knew he would, he loved it. He placed on a shelf in the living room and it stayed there for years. When he and Mom moved into town, he found a spot for it in their new house. After he passed away, Mom gave me that ceramic Hereford. I still have it and I can’t help but smile every time I look at it.
As we grew up and began to leave home, we always seemed to find our way back around February 14th. That day was as important to us as adults, as it had been in our childhood. Mom still made a huge meal and we still all tried to find the perfect gift. No matter what challenges we faced as a family or individually, we all endeavored to make it home for “Dad’s birthday”.
As he grew older, his birthday became a reason for the family to gather. Children, grand-children, nieces and nephews – the party seemed to grow each year. Dad always enjoyed celebrations, especially his own birthday, and loved being the life of the party. As guitars came out and piano playing began, he was the first one up on his feet and dancing. This was when he was his happiest. His joy produced some wonderful memories to look back on each year on Valentine’s Day.
Enjoying Valentine's Day - no matter what the reasons . . . it's a good thing!
When I and my siblings were growing up, Valentine’s Day was always a special day at our house. Mom planned Dad’s favourite meal and we bought or made him the “perfect” gift. He was always in a good mood on that day. We couldn’t wait for him to open our presents and have him praise us for giving him such wonderful gifts. Praise wasn’t something Dad gave out very often, but we could always count on getting some on this day. I recall one year in particular when we just knew that we had found the absolutely perfect present for Dad. Dad raised Hereford cattle and we had found a ceramic figure of a Hereford. Just as we knew he would, he loved it. He placed on a shelf in the living room and it stayed there for years. When he and Mom moved into town, he found a spot for it in their new house. After he passed away, Mom gave me that ceramic Hereford. I still have it and I can’t help but smile every time I look at it.
As we grew up and began to leave home, we always seemed to find our way back around February 14th. That day was as important to us as adults, as it had been in our childhood. Mom still made a huge meal and we still all tried to find the perfect gift. No matter what challenges we faced as a family or individually, we all endeavored to make it home for “Dad’s birthday”.
As he grew older, his birthday became a reason for the family to gather. Children, grand-children, nieces and nephews – the party seemed to grow each year. Dad always enjoyed celebrations, especially his own birthday, and loved being the life of the party. As guitars came out and piano playing began, he was the first one up on his feet and dancing. This was when he was his happiest. His joy produced some wonderful memories to look back on each year on Valentine’s Day.
Enjoying Valentine's Day - no matter what the reasons . . . it's a good thing!
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