Growing up in an atheist nation I never heard of Valentine’s
day. In my college days, I had no
significant other to shower me with gifts.
I stated that Jews don’t celebrate Christian Priests when asked about
it.
Today the IDF soldiers join in the
excuse to propose or advance in courtship.
As most US holidays, it is an excuse for the stores to get in the black
it drives CAPITALISM. In 2002 I discovered
that Valentine’s day can advance SOCIALISM in Public Schools. Every kid gets a present. Every kid has to give one. It doesn’t matter if you like the kid or not,
you pretend to like him on Valentine’s day.
By the time I met my husband we had too many prior
relationships and years between us to act like those that take Valentine’s day
seriously. Or so I thought.
While we were in a long-distance relationship, my then future
husband sent chocolate boxes to me and my mother. He showered me with gifts. For our first encounter, he showed up in a
red Camero and presented me with a stuffed “Guantanamo Bay” Iguana in lieu of
flowers.
When you are in your forties, the gifts change together with
priorities.
My future husband payed my
legal fees for my last divorce and added me to his insurance as a “significant
other.” That is how a night in shining armor looks and
acts today.
A former coworker reconnected with me on Face Book. She saw my family pictures and asked me
yesterday what my husband’s best feature is.
So, in my head I immediately went to the question of Mac
vs. PC or the commercial of the latest cell phone models. Did that question relate to body parts? To character?
To personal growth and conversion to Judaism?
After a while I realized that the answer to all of this is
the same. My husband’s best feature are his eyes. First thing I fell in love with are the blue
eyes that told a story similar to mine.
A story of someone too trusting, too kind, and too young at hart for
today’s world.
Since the day we meat my husband is doing all he can to
look young to measure up to the wife who is 11 years younger then him. He lost about 20 lb. His heart is stronger
and healthier than that of many 25-year-olds.
He is able to carry a toddler of about 28 lb through the entire
Mall.
To all of his efforts I tell him not to try so hard. It doesn’t matter to me weather he has a full
head of hair or not because it will have no effect on those kind, trusting, and
ever-young eyes of his.
On this Valentine’s day, after this Shabbat, and for years
to come we will share an office. On his
PC there is a computer game he is designing for boys that are for every teenagers.
On mine there is a chapter book in progress for girls who are forever nine-years-old.
Our
dream worlds are vastly different from each other. Sometimes we fight over one another’s advise
on where the other one should take it next. That is what happens when a married couple
has nothing to fight about.
The fights
end with us watching old science fiction reruns. Because the point is as long
as you have a place for dreams and laughter you can resolve any problem. More importantly no special day is needed.
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