Chocolate Black Lace and a Card

     Every year, February brings a flood of Valentine thoughts to most people.  I really don't know where the special day got it's origin or why candy and cards are emphasized.  Maybe Valentine's Day was invinted by Russell Stover, Hallmark, or Victoria's Secret.  Any of the three has certainly gotten more out of the day than I ever have.
     New Year's Eve, now there is a day I can relate to.  Planning weeks in advance for New Year's Eve and that special kiss with a stranger when the clocks strikes 12 is a lot more fun than walking the card aisle in Walmart on Valentine's Day.  New Year's Eve sets the tone of a relationship for the coming 365 days where as Valentine's only set the tone for one night.  Even before I've been handed a card on Valentine's Day,  my thoughts were always "did I do enough to reciprocate"?  Somehow I knew Hallmark was never going to be enough.
     Let's get real about this special day.  No one wears a heart on their sleeve, deep down there is always an alliterative motive.   The stereotype of Valentine's Day has been baked into us from early childhood, long before any of us ever thought about a significant other.  Heart shaped cookies and hearts cut from colored construction paper force fed the dreams of a white picket fence and two kids playing in the back yard.  Oh how gullible we can be!  Valentine's Day should not be about material things.  The euphoric feeling we get on Valentine's Day should not come from material things rather it should come from inside us. OK I'll admit I do like candy and even enjoy getting a card but you can keep both.  There is simply nothing better than black lace, need I say more.  Happy Valentine's Day