LOVE IS AN UNEXPECTED THING …

by Jennifer DePriest

It’s here, that month of all things hearts and Hallmark. This year is different for us all, and I am finding that Valentine’s Day is taking on a whole new meaning. As I set out to put together this month’s piece, I came across these images. They weren’t what I originally planned to post for this month, but isn’t that the way life has pretty much been for all of us for the past year?

Haven’t all of us found our plans interrupted or canceled a time or two? The beauty of Valentine’s Day, in having to change the course of my writing, is it reminded me of what I loved so dearly. These images took me back in time and reminded me of my kids, back when my babies were still babies. They are almost grown now, but these images allowed me to take a trip down memory lane. To a time when the most precious gift I received was the homemade Valentine they made me out of construction paper and a doily.

I didn’t bake back then, it was more along the lines of a last minute run to the store for cookies and cupcakes to send to school for their parties. It was the joy of watching them take inventory of their bags of cards and goodies they would bring home to show me at the end of their day.

The detour in my day served as a sweet reminder of how, in the fast paced, unexpected details of life, we can find unconditional love. Unexpected blessings can often be found on one of life’s detours, but the key to finding them lies in our ability to open our hearts and take in our surroundings.

Today it’s dreary, rainy, and it’s Monday, but as I took an unexpected detour, I ended up taking a much needed trip down memory lane. The love I have for these kids that call me mom and Mimi, the laughter we have shared during the past year, the memories we have made in the middle of a pandemic, make me love them that much more.

Yes, love can be an unexpected thing which our detours in life give us time to see.

XO,
Jen