Valentine’s Day Cards

I have such wonderful memories of Valentine’s Day throughout the years when my mom and I exchanged cards with our handwritten thoughts of love as mother and daughter. Each February we sent a beautifully worded card or note reflecting on the year that just passed and highlighting the special events that we shared during the past 12 months. We started the tradition while I was in college and continued each Valentine’s Day until my mom passed away.

I have kept these treasured cards in a beautiful box and read them when I want to reminisce about the big and little moments that we shared. Of course, there are the extraordinary notes remembering the year that we planned my wedding, and the years of the births of my boys. But there are also the ordinary notes that recall the simple things in life we delighted in doing, like cooking together, having a cup of tea together, shopping together, decorating together and just chit-chatting together.

I have kept all of the Valentine’s Day cards from mom to me and will always cherish them, but what an amazing surprise I had when cleaning out Mom’s home to find all of the cards I had sent to her. The years of memories traced in my own handwriting brings me back to the place and time I composed and wrote them. I always tried to make it a special time when writing my reflections down and often went to a quiet tea room or cafe to be alone in my thoughts. As my life became more hectic with work and kids, I would just find a quiet spot in a parking lot and have a cup of tea in my cup holder as I wrote the note in my car before work. It was an important to me to always do this, so I made it happen. However, there may have been a year or two when the card arrived in the mail a day after Valentine’s Day, but my mom always knew it would be there soon.

It is hard to believe that it has been ten years since my mom has passed, but I still feel the love of my beloved mom as I sit down with a cup of tea and read those beautiful cards of love, faith and gratitude on the 14th of every February.

Happy Valentine’s Day, Mom.