What’s your spirit emoji?
If you ask my friends, they will tell you that my spirit emoji is 😍.
I love love—whether it’s romantic, familial, or platonic. I make a point of telling the people I care about how much they mean to me, and I’ve been known to be effusive… (like the time I wanted to set up my cousin and girl friend and wrote a long email to him gushing about how amazing she is. After reading the email, one of our mutual friends joked that she wanted to date her.)
Valentine’s Day is yet another chance to do so. Instead of approaching it as a romantic holiday full of chocolates and flowers and fancy dinners, I celebrate it as a day to recognize those I love and appreciate. Here’s why.
Valentine’s Day—a meaningless holiday?
When I sat down to write this post, I realized I had never considered why I like Valentine’s Day so much. It’s my second favorite (after Thanksgiving, of course) and the one I look forward to most.
I absolutely adore Valentine’s decorations, which is totally out of character for me. In general, I’m not a huge fan of knickknacks, and my apartment furniture and decor consist of mostly soothing, muted colors. But the very sight of Valentine’s displays in stores makes me all giddy! In my ideal world, my place would be decked out in bright pinks and reds leading up to the holiday.
That color combo sparks feelings of pure joy! And the reason why is so simple I can’t believe I haven’t realized it sooner: it reminds me of my beloved grandma.
Pink and red 💕
Grandma on a day when she was clearly dressed up for a special occasion.
My favorite memories are of her fussing in the kitchen while everyone was seated at the dinner table, enjoying the delicious Japanese feast she had prepared and trying to get her to join us. Her yelling, “Ack! Shut the door before you let the flies in.” And telling my dad, “Michael, they’re my grandkids. I’ll spoil them if I want to!”
She could cook and bake like no other. She’d make pies from scratch, preparing the crust and filling without measuring cups or spoons!! We’d ask for her recipe, and she’d reply that she puts in a little bit of this and a little bit of that until it “looks right.” I remember feeling extra special as a kid—which is particularly important to a middle child—because we made pies together, just the two of us, and I got my very own petite pie. I’ve never tasted an apple pie as good as hers.
She was also known for her, uh, let’s say unique fashion sense. A classic grandma outfit was a pink top with red bottoms. We’d tease her about it, and she’d simply shrug it off, saying that she was comfortable. By the way, since she ran cold, “comfortable” meant wearing multiple sweaters and a down vest and a jacket or maybe two, with a lap blanket…in the middle of summer!
And that was Grandma. She embraced her quirks and was full of love and joy. She had a great laugh and lit up any room she walked into.
A legacy of love
We sadly lost her too soon. When I was 15 years old, she was killed when a car of young girls lost control of their vehicle on Steven’s Pass and hit my grandparent’s van head on. My grandpa was the only survivor. It was tragic on so many levels.
It taught me that life is unpredictable and not to take anyone for granted. It’s why I make a point of telling everyone how much they mean to me. Okay, so a single day, like Valentine’s Day, isn’t enough to truly recognize those you love, but I like the idea that there’s a whole day devoted to it.
A special thank-you to my dad for his insightful feedback on this post! 💕