Dear Younger Us on our first Valentines Day,
We see you in the store picking out just the right card that says the exact words to express your love for each other.
We see you sitting at your kitchen island, penning a perfect note about the myriad of deep feelings you have and your bright hopes for your future together.
We see you gazing at each other across the table, barely touching your fancy food because butterflies are coursing though your body.
AND we are rooting for you.
Rooting for the days ahead where life will throw you a curveball and you’ll have to figure out how to fight FOR each other instead of with each other.
Rooting for the family you will create that is filled with busyness and all.the.things and popcorn for dinner and tears and slammed doors and “I’m sorrys" and indoor picnics and “I forgive yous” and laughter and and and…
Rooting especially for your hearts that will find themselves broken into a million pieces but also broken open to possibility and wonder and healing and fullness.
AND we are holding you close.
Holding your memories to come.
Holding your hope-filled dreams.
Holding your “hands” as you walk side by side, fingers and hearts intertwined.
You will be surprised at what your decades-later Valentines Day looks like.
It’s not what you think.
It’s not picking out just the right card.
It’s not penning the perfect note.
It’s not staring down at fancy food.
It’s even better.
It’s STILL expressing your love, but it happens in stolen kisses in home offices and sticky “love notes” on bathroom mirrors.
It’s STILL sitting down at your kitchen island, but now it’s hard conversations about pain and grief and happy ones about upcoming vacations with the kids and latest Wordle scores.
It’s STILL gazing at each other across the table, but not a fancy one. It’s a fast food one borne out of a tradition that has spanned children and decades and doing it in cars during pandemics. It’s a very good table.
You two have so much beauty to come.
AND remember...
It's not what you think.
It's even better.
AND we are grateful to be on this journey together.
From our hearts to yours,
Older and "Wiser" Us