by Joy Boudreau

Created on: February 06, 2007   Last Updated: November 26, 2010

Valentine's Day is about love. How do we show love? The commercial businesses want us to show love by sending big boxes of chocolates and diamond jewelry. They want us to load up on helium balloons, stuffed animals, conversation hearts, and expensive cards.

Face it. This stuff makes money. A LOT of money. But does it really mean "Love" ?

What is love?

It is written that love suffers long, and is kind; love envies not; love vaunts not; is not puffed up, does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil; rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

I challenge you this Valentine's Day, do not focus merely on the things that you get or the things that you give. Focus on the other person. What would make him or her happy? How can you show you really care? Even more challenging, why not make the spirit of this Valentine's day last the whole year long. Why not show everlasting love for the other person? Be kind. Do not think evil of your love. Seek to uplift instead of knock down. In short, put the other person first in all things.

I bet, that if we all did this, our homes would be a lot happier. Next year, our Valentine's gifts would be tokens of the love we share instead of baubles that vainly try to buy a little bit of love.

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