Showing posts with label valentines day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label valentines day. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

the day of love

Valentine's Day.
Here you are again.
Oh boy.

This holiday and I have always seemed to have a bit of a strained, but funny, complex, yet simple, and all the while a slightly bitter relationship. It's really not my fault entirely that this holiday and I have been on the fritz for most of my years now. 

Perhaps it's because the holiday revolves around pastel pinks & sassy reds while I am much more of a deep green & autumnal yellow girl. Or maybe it's because I secretly think roses are drab little flowers. But, honestly if I could place the blame anywhere {and I'm about to} I would put it, one-hundred percent, twenty absolutely's, and a service full of hallelujahs on:

High School.

It was the high school  l o v e  that I was not about. The awkward hand-holding, the carnation giving, the boxes of chocolate, and don't get me going about those little stuffed teddy bears. Barf. 

In high school.
On Valentine's Day
this girl wore 
black.

Yes black.
From head to toe.

I like to fancy this young push back against society as my earliest flirtations with my feminist awakening ... {wink. wink. elbow. elbow}

And while I would hate to limit and dismiss any rumblings of political engagement, I think there was something much simpler that I saw missing in my high school environment.


l o v e
for
oneself.

It might sound silly,
But I believe this is some of the hardest work of all.
Sometimes I need small reminders.

To choose myself.

To love the quirks.
The failures.
The aspiration.
To accept myself right now
just as I are ...
even without the list of New Years Resolutions.
It's hard work.
Hard, hard work.
Easier for some than others.
But it's our work
And it's good work

And that my friends ...
That is  l o v e. 

Sending you all my  l o v e  today.

From this girl,
who this year is wearing pink!!


- n.

{actually, no no. I couldn't do it. I can still celebrate and wear green. I can!}

Happy Valentine's Day.

Monday, February 14, 2011

the earth reminded me.

this morning.
i was talking to my roommate.
about how spring is on its way.
its nearly march, she exclaimed.
spring is. right. around the corner.

but sometimes i forget.
sometimes i forget.
to just be
right where i am.
and sometimes i need 
a reminder.

as i stepped out of the gypsy den [the apartment]...
the whiteness made me catch my breath.

  
snow. was. everywhere.

a warm flow of energy trickled through me
beginning in my neck,
ending in my toes.

the snow.
it must had begun falling
since the morning's earliest hours.

with Regina Speckor as my morning soundtrack,
i stepped out into the street.
to become apart of it all.

my roommate called to me from the door,
"happy valentines day nat!"

men and women strolling one by one
or with a companion,
under plaid umbrellas
decorated the streets of my neighborhood.

snow clung to pine branches.
and it knew it was beautiful.

as i walked.
the earth reminded me.
and was busy surrounding me with
small white beauties to keep me company as i walked.
remember where you are.
the earth whispered.
and love where you are. in this moment.


so today, on this day of love and hearts.
i am reminded.
it is winter.
and i wonder if you can feel reminded...
to love where you are at.
in this exact moment.
because right now is wonderful.
but sometimes we need a reminder.
to be here.

just here.
and maybe we will learn:
here
is the very best place to be.
  

with a full heart,
and lots of love,
happy valentines day.