Flowers, candy, stuffed teddy bears and dipped strawberries are all Valentine’s Day gifts that young lovers exchange along with a greeting card on the first few Valentine’s Days they spend together.
Couples who have been together a few years include those same gifts and will often add a romantic dinner or a night at the theater. Couples who have been together for some time more often opt for a few days away from it all. The kids, along with work and the house consume the time that once, could be reserved for each other. The weekend away rejuvenates them and their relationship.
What about older couples, those who have been married for quite some time, seen it all, done it all? This is how I would describe my wife and I. February 14th will be the 25th Valentine’s Day we have spent together. While the feelings for each other have stayed the same, the years together have included all the above. We have exchanged the gifts, enjoyed the trips and had those romantic dinners. We both have searched for that card that describes the feelings we have for each other like no other card could.
This year we have decided to change things up a bit. We will exchange cards from our box containing cards from years gone-by. Together we will try to spend nothing but time on each other. We intend to do three things together this year.
1. The Botanic Gardens in Fort Worth
The Botanic Gardens in Fort Worth has a beautiful Rose Garden. This is where we will begin the afternoon. Armed only with a camera, along with some strawberries we will dip in chocolate ourselves, and a bottle of sparkling water, we will stroll through those gardens hand in hand. Taking the time to pause and take pictures of each other that will last for a lifetime.
2. The Drive Home
On the way home, we will listen to music from the past years together. We will ride that music forward in time, singing along and being kids again. Together we will take another stroll, this one being down memory lane. We will laugh and talk, just enjoying the time alone.
3. Dream of the Future
Finally, we will end up on the couch in front of the fireplace, even if it is not cold outside. There we will sit and hold hands, smile at each other, and dream out loud of the future. For us, Valentine’s Day will be a time to focus, on each other, while letting those younger lovers shower each other with gifts. We will instead shower each other with time, time to remember why we chose each other all those years ago.
Comments