Be My Valentine

It must be that time of year again. Seems like everywhere I look I see red Valentine cards and heart shaped boxes of chocolate. Cards and candy are not what Valentine Day is really about. It does not take much to let someone know that you care, an act of kindness is just as good as a box of chocolates. Everyone has a need to express love, it's one of the most valuable ingredients for a happy and joyful life. You can have your every wish fulfilled, your every dream come true but if you don't feel loved, you will be empty and barren.
The concept of love is based upon the attitude that love is a physical expression between individuals but love can be very fickle. Feelings can change when a person does something unpleasant. Real love is unconditional and it is expressed at a deeper level than cards and heart shaped boxes of chocolates. Unconditional love is patient. It's not rude, jealous, proud or boastful. It never demands it's own way or loses faith. It is wisdom and happiness expanding in all directions making it limitness as to where it can go.
Every Valentine Day I reflect on Elizabeth Browning's poem "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways". We can send cards, flowers or chocloates but love's expressions go far beyond that. It behoves us if we place love in our every day thoughts, words and actions. If we chose to live in goodness and not in evil, every thing we do can be considered an expression of love.