Real Romance

I did my best to look shy and coquettish as I pressed the big cardboard heart into his hand. “Happy Belated Valentines Day.”

He smiled a genuine smile, since this was completely unexpected. He really likes chocolate. “I was looking for these for you when I went shopping yesterday! Where did you find them?”

“At the drugstore, while getting our kid’s medicine.” This was an errand he wasn’t keen to do, so it’s a double gift.

On Valentine’s Day, do you know what I got from my husband of twenty years, to whom I’ve borne three children?

Nothing.

Am I mad? Do I feel unappreciated? Should he have blown a bundle on me for the Big Day?

If retail voices want you to buy candy, flowers and jewelry on Valentine’s Day, do you have to? Is it really a great idea to blow six months’ worth of salary on an engagement ring when you’re about to build a life together and need that money? Does Christmas/Hannukah have to be the bonanza that society has made it? Is a storebought card the only way to properly express your feelings?

Here’s what I find romantic. A husband who makes waffles. Back rubs. Fix-it jobs. A cleaned garage. A thing I really need that will get a lot of use. Valentine’s chocolates for 75% off. Paid-off credit cards. Enough reserves to survive temporary unemployment.

Financial stress is not romantic. Don’t let advertisements tell you otherwise!