From The Director, Kathy Irvin:

February 2009

Are we feeling the pressure yet as the 14th draws near? Do the pink and red hearts in the Target aisles bring back happy memories or cause us additional stress? Will we remember to find the perfect card or join the masses at Walgreen's on the 13th? Have our children picked out the valentines they "need" for friends and classmates or are we okay with the mess of creating our own? Moms, do you secretly want flowers but only if the idea comes without a reminder or guilty feelings? Dad, will you get it right this year? Some of us even promise each other not to do anything special this year with all of the worries and bills. And, there are our friends who are alone on this day. Don't we all just want someone to show us unconditional love!

Let's do this day differently in 2009. Perhaps this month offers us time for a bit of "heart talk," a chat with our own hearts. Perhaps we can take a breath, pause for a different perspective, make a mental list to hold onto.

For me this pause occurred recently with the news of the death of an actor's son, possibly from a seizure. The news took me right back to a day fifteen years ago when our world was rocked, our hearts jolted. On the 14th of February, 15 years ago, our youngest son had his first seizure. As we raced behind the ambulance carrying our son to Children's Memorial, I remember saying, "our lives have changed forever" and praying, "Please, God, Please, God, Please, God..." I share this memory to encourage some self-reflection at this "time of the heart." What do we hold most dear? Can we live holding these, which make our hearts sing, front and center? Can we translate awareness and feelings into words and actions? Can we change the chatter in our heads and hearts from, "look at what I am missing" to "look at what I have." And, aren't we surprised again and again to learn that living as we love often finds love pouring back in and filling our hearts.

Unconditional love? Given freely by our children and our God! May our hearts return it.