Valentine's Day 2026

This morning, I put the dog in the car and drove to Dunkin Donuts for a latte' and then to the store to buy heart shaped boxes of chocolates to give to some friends I am meeting for lunch at Maritsa's today.

New Valentine's and holiday activity - I text all the people on my texting list and wish them all a Happy Valentine's Day (or whatever the holiday is) I like to let them know someone thought of them. Then they all text me back!

One who has been going through a lot of difficulty I texted how each day when I drive by the old high school where I used to teach (she and I were both teachers) I think how lucky I am (we are) to be retired - 20 years this year!

Today it made me think how so many things we go into with such naive open hearted hope and enthusiasm turn out to be a kind of gauntlet of disappointment and pain, where so many of us (me) come out the other end disillusioned battered and bruised: marriage, teaching, parenthood. Not that there arent' joyful experiences along the way, but the road is perilous and we get worn out and beaten up. But at the end, we survive (some of us lucky ones) and when we do, we learn to enjoy the simple pleasures of basic existence - like my old cat Lucky lying bathed in a warm pool of early morning sun on his window perch, or my dog beside me on the sofa, waiting patiently for her breakfast, or Dolly and Patsy beside me, just happy to be here and to be warm and safe and to know that their expectation of bowls of breakfast kibble will be realized soon. I will have raisin toast with crunchy almond butter and orange marmalade.

While I was out I went to the store and bought small cardboard hearts of chocolates for the teacher friends I am meeting for lunch today at Maritsa's. I will put on a red sweater and look forward to the chat and the lunch, the comraderie.

How lucky have I been to be born into a place and time of peace and plenty. I watched an archaeology show narrated by Alice Roberts about a bronze age village found in surprisingly good condition because it had been a stilt swamp village like my favorite Hallstadt in Germany. So it had fallen into the oxygen depreived silt of the lake bed and been preserved, even wood, textiles and food in clay bowls! The archaeologists pieced together the mystery and deduced the village had entirely burned and the villagers had fled quickly and never returned. It was undetermined whether the fire was accidental or from an attack but no bodies were found, just many swords, long knives and valuables like glass beads, lots of bowls many with grain based food (like porridge I guess) in them. The people disappeared.

I thought then as I do often how lucky I am that I was born when World War 2 was over and we had entered this long period of peace and plenty. I was blessed with an inquisitive mind, a trail of books were left for me as though by the fairies so I could get educated and find a career with BENEFITS and a PENSION so that in my peaceful old age, in my small bungalow, I could live a life of leisure and peace with my pets, and a bag filled with heart shaped red boxes filled with chocolates to give to friends for Valentine's Day. Even to be allowed to grow old to the age of 80 is a miracle. My what gifts I have been given! Thank you to the universe!

And Happy Valentine's Day to you, sttangers and visitors! wrightj45@yahoo.com