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By Ken Heath

Season of Love

The season of love. For what seems like forever, stores have filled front aisles with plastic wrapped heartshaped boxes of chocolates and the like—even before Christmas!—to remind us that Valentine’s Day is fast approaching. I’m blessed.

This year will be our 34th Valentine’s Day together. A ton of teddy bears, later replaced with smaller boxes but more expensive jewelry, fresh roses that cost a fraction on February 1 but somehow find the value of rare earth metals come midmonth, and loads of sweets. It’s what we do. It’s part of our love language. It hasn’t always been fancy earrings. Actually, most often, it’s been a heartfelt message hand printed into a card, a dollar box of chocolate-covered cherries, some flowers, and of course a treat for the pups. But it means the same, no matter the cost, no matter the wrapping.

As a grumpy ol’ 60-year-old guy with more gray in my beard than I planned on, her smile is Valentine enough. And not just on February 14. So, on that day, I do my best to do a little extra to show her just how much she means to me. My wife, my forever partner, my best friend. My Valentine.