Call me mushy, but I love Valentine’s Day. It was one of the biggest holidays on the calendar throughout my kid years. In a houseful of women (my mom, my twin sister, and all-girl pets), my dad was truly the “man of the house.” My dad is a real guys’ guy—he loves the outdoors, smoking barbeque on his Big Green Egg, and watching college football all autumn long. But on Valentine’s Day, he was a regular Prince Charming!
I’d be sitting eagerly on my bed waiting for a knock on my bedroom door. I’d twist the knob and pull it to see my dad standing in the doorway, a napkin lying across one forearm and his other arm held out to escort me to dinner. I’d hook my arm into his and parade proudly to our dining room where each of us girls had a beautifully decorated, classic Valentine’s Day place setting complete with flowers, chocolates, stuffed animals, and cards. Mom’s bouquet of roses and heart-shaped box of chocolates was always the biggest, as it should be.
My dad would sit down with us and go around the table individually telling us how grateful he was for each of us and how much he loved us. He would always be the first to tear up, then we’d all be crying! He’d serve us a five-star meal he made especially for us AND do all the dishes! We felt like princesses. At the end of dinner, he’d always remind me, “Beth, I do this for you to show you not only how much I love you, but how any guy in your future should treat you. Anything less is not good enough.”
I never doubt my father’s love for me. The Valentine’s Day tradition he started showed me what it means to show gratitude, how to demonstrate love, and it gave me a sense of worth and purpose that stretched far beyond my childhood. I have treasured each Valentine’s Day I spent with my dad; every word of love and gratitude he spoke to me became a part of who I am today.
So it might seem stereotypical for me to enjoy roses and heart-shaped boxes of chocolates on Valentine’s Day, but these things remind me of the love and gratitude my dad showed me growing up. Today reminds me of what it feels like to be loved like that, and inspires me to show that same compassion to others. I hope today you’ll take a moment to tell someone that you love them and are grateful for who they are—you never know what an amazing impact your words can make!
Beth Armstrong, Director of Welcoming Ministry
