I met this little hottie from Oshawa back in the Fall of '86. A lifetime ago, that's for sure. 30 Valentine's Days later...she's still a hottie and still the love of my life. Oh sure, we've had our ups and downs and along the way I am certain we have both thought of packin' it in and changin' our hand for a new set of cards...but in the end something always keeps us here. Thankfully. 

Since she shares her birthday with Valentine's Day, I swore from the beginning of our relationship that I wouldn't combine these 2 important events! So, along with her birthday presents, every year, since our very first Valentine's together, she gets a dozen long-stemmed roses (come hell or high water...I'll explain)! Every year, however, she tells me "don't send flowers, it's just a waste of money". But for me it's more than the money and more than the '30-year-streak', it's symbolic. It's speaks to our longevity...our resilience...our stick-to-it-ness! We've made it through near-death experiences, tough times, and those damn roses are a testament to a love that's been battered, bruised but is still standing! It hasn't been easy and I'm definitely not a walk-in-the-park...so, the least I can do is thank her once a year for sticking around.

Truth be known, she does like getting them...and would definitely be disappointed if those roses didn't show up at her work or the house on Valentine's Day. Which reminds me of a funny Valentine's story...I think it was our 5th or 6th Valentine's Day together and she happened to be back in Oshawa and I was at home in Niagara (not sure why). It was about 6:00 pm at night and she hadn't received her dozen roses. According to her mother, she had been waiting for a 'delivery' to the house and was visibly down, thinking that I had forgotten (after all it was a tradition...or the 'streak'). But just after 6:00 pm that snowy, February night there was a knock on her door and there I was, wet from the snow and standing there with a big ole grin and holding a dozen, long-stemmed roses. I didn't forget...and the streak continued (come hell or high water...or in this case, a snow storm). It will always be one of my favorite moments of our 30 years together. The look on her face that day and her reaction was priceless and that story is a big reason I continue the streak :) I still feel like that crazy young guy in love, driving down the 401 with the radio blasting Nils Lofgren's "Valentine" and anticipating her reaction, every time I buy those damn roses!

Love is great at any age, but there's nothing like that youthful love that makes you do crazy things to try and express your feelings! Though I do miss those days from time-to-time, there is also something to be said for this old, comfortable love. The security that you feel just knowing that you have someone that is there for you...come hell or high water!

I haven't been the best husband. I've made a million mistakes, but no matter what we've been through (and there's been a lot) my heart has always belonged to her. So, every year that I "waste money" on those "damn" flowers it's because those 2 crazy young hearts, that fell in love back in the Fall of '86, have survived another year of this amazing journey.

"Our differences are part of life
Still love will pass the test of time
I want you every day and night
Girl, won't you be my valentine?"

-- Nils Lofgren

Happy Valentine's to all of you...young or old!
Remember to enjoy every sandwich (and every long-stemmed rose),

DANIMA Dave