Valentine’s Day-Focus On Love, Not The Gift

Valentine’s Day has us thinking of love, flowers, and candy. Love should be our main focus, all year long, not just one day a year.

Focus on love for ourselves and love for our neighbors. Giving love to our family and friends. And if you are blessed with a significant other, we should remember showing our love for them the other 364 days of the year.

We get caught up in this day and sometimes it is for the wrong reason. Probably more often than not. It shouldn’t be about the candy and the flowers; it should always be about love.

In 32 Valentine’s Days with my husband, I have received jewelry, (the first one was an engagement ring!), flowers, dinners, hand-written letters, and nothing. Yep, some Valentine’s we gifted a simple ‘I love you.’ The years I received nothing were just as perfect as the ones with wonderful, thoughtful gifts.

Valentine’s Day is about the love, not the gift.

I love the new trend of Galentine’s. Celebrating love should be the focus. It doesn’t matter if you have someone to say ‘Be Mine’. The important thing is spreading love. Give love to yourself or your best girlfriend. Spread love to strangers by buying them coffee. Just spread the love.

And, remember those who just lost a love–divorced, widowed, a break up, remember them with love because they are hurting today.

It is the love, not the gift.

Honestly, I want my husband to give me love and appreciation, or flowers, not out of guilt, but out of love and appreciation. From day one, I told him to think from his heart. And, he is good at that. Truly, the best, most romantic gift is a hand-written letter. Anytime of the year is the perfect time for a love letter. I have received many of these over the years, although it has been a bit. (hint, hint!)

Also, listening to your loved ones is a wonderful thoughtful gift you can give all year. Often we are too busy thinking of our response, rather than listening with love. I know I am guilty of this.

 

Speaking of gifts and guilt

Recently, I started writing children’s books. I am in the long process of finding an agent, so that I can start the longer process of publishing my manuscripts. I love to write and this is definitely a labor of love.

This new journey in my late-in-life writing adventure is both scary and exciting.  I have entered a writing contest–The 4th Annual Valentiny Writing Contest! The contest is hosted by Susanna Hill. The rules are simple–214 words (get it? 2/14) and the feeling of guilt must be included in the story somewhere, anywhere. You may notice, I decided to name my characters after my daughters!

Writing a story, that will be interesting to children, in 214 words, is difficult. It was a definite challenge. But, it was fun. A labor of love.

I was featured in Susanna Hill’s blog post, in January. A manuscript I wrote about Martha, my weenie dog, was featured as a pitch. (A pitch is like a ‘back of the book’ description. It is one important part of querying agents and publishers. If they don’t like your pitch, they won’t bother reading your manuscript.) Her readers read the pitch and decide if they would read the book, or not.

All the advice and suggestions I received from her blog post were so helpful and interesting. The majority said they would read it. I received valuable advice on how to change my pitch, in hopes everyone will want to read it.

So, here is my 212-word Valentiny picture book manuscript. I hope you enjoy it.

 
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Perfect Purple Valentines

By Dedra Davis

Danielle and Cameron are best friends.

They play on the playground every day.

They share lunch every day.

They both have ponytails, they both love purple. They both love chocolate.

Danielle couldn’t wait for Valentine’s Day.

“Mom! I know what to give Cameron. Can we go shopping?”

Danielle held up the perfect purple box of chocolate. “Mom! This is perfect for Cameron!”

Cameron was excited, too.

“Mom! I want to make the perfect valentine for Danielle. Can we buy purple paper and purple glitter?”

Cameron worked hard cutting, gluing and glittering the perfect card.

On Valentine’s Day, the girls were giddy and anxious to give the perfect purple presents to each other.

The girls and mothers planned a playdate. They didn’t want to play until they exchanged gifts.

They held the valentines behind their backs and exchanged.

Both girls opened. They frowned.

Their moms were confused.

Cameron cried, “I feel bad. I made your gift. You bought mine.”

Danielle, through tears, “This purple card is perfect. I wish I made yours like you made mine!”

“What if we share, Danielle? Let’s eat the chocolate; then we can make more purple valentines for each other?”

Both girls smiled, hugged, and shared the chocolate.

They ran off to make some more perfect purple valentines.

 

Danielle and Cameron learned it is not the gift, but the love, that is important. They each feel bad about their gifts, but after sharing, they learn love. Love was there all along!

'Valentine's Day has us thinking of love, flowers, and candy. Love should be our main focus, all year long, not just one day a year.' -dedra davisClick To Tweet

I hope for you  L O V E  for Valentine’s Day. Love for yourself, love for others. And I hope you are splashed in love, as well. Thank you for reading my picture book manuscript! Wish me luck!!

love and blessings~dd

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