“It’s a day for sweethearts, and showing love to one another,” my Grandma said as we started talking about Valentine’s Day.
My grandma, Nancy Perini, is freshly 77 years young, with fiery red hair like many Irish women. She’s about 5’6” and always dolled up, ready to rule the day.
She is my ultimate inspiration because of her strength, charisma, kind and caring soul, and generosity towards everyone around her. She has a bright and shining personality that engages everyone around her with her bubbling personality and upbeat spirit. We talked about Valentine’s Day and how to express love towards others, which ultimately led to a much deeper conversation. She expressed to me that it’s only sometimes a happy time for everyone.
“It’s also a day to show love and kindness towards everyone. For people who have lost loved ones in their life and don’t have them anymore,” she said. “It can be a very lonely day for them. It hurts when you don’t have that special someone anymore, but it’s nice when someone shows you some love.”
I asked her about her own love story and her greatest love, my Grandpa. They weren’t each other’s first loves, it wasn’t even their first marriages, but they were each other’s soulmates above all else.
“Your papa was my greatest love and my soulmate. I met him when we were both out dancing at the North Coast Inn, in Arcata,” she said. “He thought I was perhaps there with the band and he asked me to dance. We had been together since then,” she said happily as she reminisced.
From a very young age, I remember them dancing together at all of the family weddings and functions, even as his health slowly declined. He did it with a smile which would make my grandma smile in return.
“When we officially started dating, he had a dozen burgundy red roses delivered to where I was working. They were so beautiful and just gorgeous,” she said.
They never had a set tradition for Valentine’s Day. They occasionally exchanged cards or other little goodies but knew they would always have each other.
“I never expected all this fancy stuff and gifts, just spending time with him was enough, our love for each other was enough,” she said.
I looked up to them and their relationship, wanting one like it for as long as I can remember. They were so in love and happily married.
He sadly passed away on July 23, 2018.
She expressed how important it is to show love to everyone every day, whether it’s Valentine’s Day or not. Take it slow when you find that special someone you love because one day they may not be the right one for you.
“The ones you love are always near even if you’ve lost them. Connect to them in your minds even if they’re gone,” she said.
She was adamant to add that people should always remember that, no matter what, you are never alone, you are so loved and worthy of the love you are receiving.
You never know how much time we have ourselves or with others. It’s important to express your love in the present before it’s too late. You have to take chances when you can but also play it safe.
Valentine’s Day is about celebrating the love all around you. We can get so caught up in the love we share with one special person, plans for the “big day,” and what we will give and receive, that we forget how important it is to share the love with others around us. With Valentine’s Day being over-commercialized and heavily marketed towards couples, some people can feel left out and pressured to find some sort of solitude. Remember, it’s a day of love for everyone, not just your special someone.
