Gift of the Heart

                “To the world you may be one person; but to one person you may be the world.”
                                                                                                                                                                                    Dr. Seuss
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The elderly gentleman visited his wife in the memory care unit every day, without fail. He would arrive at eleven and bring one photograph. Sometimes a picture helped give her back a memory. He would always find his Sylvia sitting in the hallway beside an intricate birdcage, in front of windows overlooking the courtyard. She loved to sit in the light and watch the lively birds.

“Good morning, Sylvia,” the man would say, taking a seat next to her. “How are your little friends today?”

“Hello,” Sylvia said, glancing briefly at the man, her eyes drawn quickly back to her birds. He would sit quietly beside her, appreciating her calm presence.

“Do I know you?” she would sometimes ask, as she did on this day, clearly wondering why this stranger sat next to her.

“Yes, Sylvia, we met a long time ago,” he said, reaching into an inside pocket of his top coat and pulling out a photo. He handed it to her. “Today is February 14th. It’s Valentine’s Day. Today is also our fiftieth wedding anniversary. Here is a picture of us on our special day. You are as beautiful today as you were in your wedding gown.”

He no long asked if she remembered things. On the good days she did, if only for a moment.

“Oh yes, Henry. I gave you my heart when I was very young,” Sylvia said as she studied the picture before handing it back to the man. She squeezed his hand and smiled into his eyes. The moment passed quickly. The focus in her eyes dissipated and she turned back to her birds.

Her smile was the best anniversary present he could have hoped for on their special day.   
  
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 Relationships are difficult. There will be challenging days when giving up and walking away would be easier. Sometimes walking away is necessary because the other person doesn’t deserve our love. But in the grand scheme of this thing called life, when a relationship is worth saving, push through the dark days and put in the work to make the good days outweigh the bad.

The idea of Valentine’s Day, a day of flowers and chocolate, is mocked by many. Some see it as a marketing ploy by greeting card manufactures and candy companies. Some dread the day because they’re single and wish they had someone to send them flowers.

Instead of being cynical about Valentine’s Day, what if we used the day to celebrate the love we do have in our lives? In a world full of misery and bad news, use it as an excuse to send that silly card, buy a heart-shaped box of chocolates or send flowers. Don’t focus on what you will receive but rather what small gestures you can make to remind the important people in your life how much they mean to you.    

Nurture your relationships with all those you hold dear - a significant other, family, and friends. If you want more romance in your life, keep an open heart and be open to new relationships. With luck and hard work, there will be someone like Henry beside you as you journey through this life.

Make someone’s day on Wednesday and your heart will thank you for it.      xoxo, Kim