Loving YOU!
Happy Valentine's Day! 💜
I know it's totally a Hallmark-holiday, but for some reason I've always loved a holiday to celebrate love. As a kid, I got so much delight out of making my little valentines and thinking about what each of my little classmates would enjoy receiving.
As an adult, many of my Valentine's Days were spent selling and arranging flowers (VDay is a florist's Super Bowl!!). And let me tell you, being a florist on Valentine's Day, while sometimes a bit chaotic, is also really fun. My favorite customers were the dates and partners and husbands that would come in wanting to buy flowers with absolutely no clue about their Valentine's favorite color or favorite flower. Some folks would go with the traditional roses, baby's breath, and leather leaf look. I loved the customers that trusted me to create a floral masterpiece completely of my choosing (purple orchids! pink ranunculus! white anemones! wild textural greens!). Oh I miss that bustling and positive energy of slingin' flowers on this day. And then the exhausted but prideful celebration after the final last-minute customer has left.
A few years ago, I came across an article where kids describe what love means to them.
I'll never forget my favorite from Karen, age 7.
"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you."
On this Valentine's Day, I hope you're making time to be loving and gentle with yourself...
Savoring a delicious warm beverage in one of your favorite mugs.
Cozying up under a super soft and furry blanket.
Enjoying a candlelit bath with scents and soaps you love.
Taking the day slower than you normally would.
Calling someone that makes you smile.
Just resting.
Writing yourself a little love note with a list of what you appreciate about yourself.
Saying no to anything that doesn't delight you.
Author Joél Leon shared a gorgeous poem on Instagram (@iamjoelleon) a few days ago that I'm still feeling today.
"pour into yourself like you pour into your job. pour into yourself like you pour into your partner. pour into yourself like you pour into your work. pour into yourself like you pour into your community.
overfill and let the overflow be the love that pours back into you."
Sending warm waves of love and little stars to you,
Stacy
📸 Photo by Clem Onojeghuo on Unsplash.
