As we were monitoring students in the hall on Wednesday, Valentine's eve, a fellow teacher sighed, "I hope my wife keeps her promise of no Valentine's gifts. We purchased some pricey barstools and agreed that was our present to each other. I'm worried that she's going to buy something and I won't have anything."
I just smiled and said, "Then why don't you make her a card. Find a nice love poem and copy it by hand for her. I'm sure she'll be very touched by that." He nodded in agreement and said, "Good idea! I'll do that."
On Valentine's Day, I saw many students who had received gifts ranging from stuffed animals to candy to flowers. One girl had a dozen roses, and when I picked up the bouquet I automatically checked for freshness by squeezing the blooms. I was startled to find that one of the roses was artificial; the girl smiled and said, "My boyfriend wrote me a note that he would love me until that one died." Oh, the romantic gesture!
I always have to know the end of the story, so I asked my colleague today if he (and she) had kept to their promise of no gifts. He said, "Well, I got the card. But I'm going away on a fishing trip this weekend and my wife is kind of freaked out about safety." I thought it was for HIS safety, but he went on to say, "She is from S. Africa, and the crime rate is just terrible. So even though we live in a really nice neighborhood in Broken Arrow, and Broken Arrow is one of the safest cities in the US, she's afraid to stay by herself. It's been years since she's lived alone. So I bought her some door jambs and pepper spray."
I laughed and said, "Oh, you are so romantic!" But in all honesty, he was. He demonstrated his love by thinking of her needs and her security. And she demonstrated her love by putting aside her fear of being alone so that he could do something he enjoys.
Then after school, I went out to decompress with fellow teachers. When I told the group about Mr. X's romantic gesture, Mr. Y said, "I WROTE a poem for my wife. She's all logical and everything, so I thought this would make her cry. She opened the card and took a long, long time to read the poem. It was a short poem, and she's a fast reader, so I know it got to her. She closed the card and said, 'And that's why I married you!'" He chuckled with delight at the memory. I'm glad I have the chance to work with such thoughtful people who are also willing to open up and share their stories.
And my story? I got lots of chocolate from many students, a few sweet notes and a letter I'll cherish for as long as I can read. Like I said, best Valentine's Day ever.
I just smiled and said, "Then why don't you make her a card. Find a nice love poem and copy it by hand for her. I'm sure she'll be very touched by that." He nodded in agreement and said, "Good idea! I'll do that."
On Valentine's Day, I saw many students who had received gifts ranging from stuffed animals to candy to flowers. One girl had a dozen roses, and when I picked up the bouquet I automatically checked for freshness by squeezing the blooms. I was startled to find that one of the roses was artificial; the girl smiled and said, "My boyfriend wrote me a note that he would love me until that one died." Oh, the romantic gesture!
I always have to know the end of the story, so I asked my colleague today if he (and she) had kept to their promise of no gifts. He said, "Well, I got the card. But I'm going away on a fishing trip this weekend and my wife is kind of freaked out about safety." I thought it was for HIS safety, but he went on to say, "She is from S. Africa, and the crime rate is just terrible. So even though we live in a really nice neighborhood in Broken Arrow, and Broken Arrow is one of the safest cities in the US, she's afraid to stay by herself. It's been years since she's lived alone. So I bought her some door jambs and pepper spray."
I laughed and said, "Oh, you are so romantic!" But in all honesty, he was. He demonstrated his love by thinking of her needs and her security. And she demonstrated her love by putting aside her fear of being alone so that he could do something he enjoys.
Then after school, I went out to decompress with fellow teachers. When I told the group about Mr. X's romantic gesture, Mr. Y said, "I WROTE a poem for my wife. She's all logical and everything, so I thought this would make her cry. She opened the card and took a long, long time to read the poem. It was a short poem, and she's a fast reader, so I know it got to her. She closed the card and said, 'And that's why I married you!'" He chuckled with delight at the memory. I'm glad I have the chance to work with such thoughtful people who are also willing to open up and share their stories.
And my story? I got lots of chocolate from many students, a few sweet notes and a letter I'll cherish for as long as I can read. Like I said, best Valentine's Day ever.
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