1:37 PM
Just over 3 years ago Cupid hit me with his arrow and I've never looked back.
I remember being in Middle/High School and Valentine's Day being such a big deal. We had what were called Candy Grams, that you could purchase for 50 cents a piece. You got a large Jolly Rancher attached to a red paper with a message telling you who it was from. If you were lucky you would get multiple Candy Grams from plenty of guys. And if you were even luckier, and already had a boyfriend, you would be getting Candy Grams and perhaps a stuffed animal or balloon or even flowers for you to carry around all day so people knew someone cared about you.
I was what you would call a serial dater in High School. I dated lots of guys and about 90% of the time I was dating someone on Valentine's Day so I was loaded to the brim with candies and stuffed animals and whatever else those crazy hormone-filled boys could think of giving me. Don't get me wrong, I always loved getting gifts, but I can't remember many details about most of my past Valentine's Days. One Valentine's in particular I do remember and it didn't involve stupid stuffed animals or anything that would give me cavities.
I attended early morning seminary all throughout high school. For those of you who don't know what that is, I went and studied the scriptures with other kids my age for about an hour every day before school. Seminary started at 6 am so we were up early. On that particular Valentine's Day after Seminary I got to my locker and there was a note inside. The note was from Ryan. He had gone all secret ops on me and gotten to the school, found my locker and placed the note in there in time for Valentine's Day before Seminary. Now, this wouldn't be impressive unless you knew that we didn't attend the same high school. His school was on the other side of town so this was well thought out. I wish I could say that I had kept and framed that note. I read the whole thing, which told me that he liked me and some other really sweet sentiments. I was stunned. Ryan had never been so bold with me and I was not prepared for such a letter. I was used to the candies and balloons and crap that filled that day with things that made everyone aware of how much I was loved. Ryan's note was sweet and simple, honest and genuine and most importantly private and I will never forget how it made me feel.
I was too immature to realize what a good thing I had going then, but Ryan was patient with me. Even though that letter didn't turn up the heat in our relationship then, it makes me absolutely melt now. Sometimes expressing your feelings to the one you love is just as good, if not better, than candy.
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