Love At Home

It's Valentine's Day. This day focused on expressions of love can be wonderful. Unexpected flowers arrive. Gold embossed boxes of delicious chocolates are given. Cute stuffed animals proclaiming love are exchanged. Great start! A good beginning. The important question, though, is: "Do you demonstrate your love every other day?" Unless you do, Valentine's Day is just another 'Hallmark Holiday'. In the U.S. and Canada, I've noticed an interesting phenomenon. I did not have to look very far or very hard, either. Maybe you've noticed it where you are. It's simple. Folks seem to treat the people they interact with outside the home a little better than they often treat the folks they say they love the most at home. Isn't this curious? People will say or do things at home that they would not do in public. They leave their manners outside their doors. They forget that 'please' and 'thank you', used freely, make life much simpler. Recently I was giving a parenting workshop at a college. There were fifteen couples in the room and I asked them what they thought were the greatest lessons they were teaching their children. Many good answers came forth. Then, I told them that with every look, word and action, they were teaching their children how to treat a partner. Oooh! There were some pained expressions in that room. You know how much simpler it is so say "I love you" than to act "I love you". What could ever be the reason for not using simple manners with your family? Why would you give up saying, 'Thank you' when the simplest things are done for you? Are you not thankful? Do you simply expect that you should be considered, taken care of, or done for? That's the beginning of the end of love...and, maybe, the relationship as well. No matter how many times a person says they love you, believe their behaviour. Behaviour over time tells the truth. If someone whispers, 'I love you', it is simply pleasant noise unless their behaviour screams the same message daily! Make this Valentine's Day the renewal of your love and let it come with a secret unspoken promise: Every day, my loved ones will feel loved by my words and actions. Happy Valentine's Day!