ALT-3 Valentines Day and the Older Person
It's coming! It's only 2 weeks away, and I can hardly wait. Will it be wine and roses, or a fancy box of my favorite chocolates this year? My heart goes pitter, patter, just thinking about it.
That may be the way it was a few years back, quite a few years back to be exact.Today, we're called senior citizens. Valentine's Day is just a number on the calendar now.It's not that we're no longer in love. Oh no! Our love is probably stronger then ever.
I still like roses and chocolates. Some of those chocolates are a little harder to chew now with my dentures, though. Our priorities have changed somewhat over the years.
Instead of a massage, at Spa Montage, it's a swim at the local health club with our other senior friends. Bingo replaces the tango we used to do at the dance hall. The wine and roses dinner may be a turkey dinner at the Veterans Club with other veterans and their spouses. Most of the ladies will probably be wearing some sort of red, the traditional valentine color. The tables may be decorated with hearts and roses made by the local girl scouts.Some of the spouses could be pushing their mates around in wheelchairs. That's true love, that's Valentine's Day for a number of senior citizens. A lot of years of caring and sharing.
Our senior group will be heading out on a 3 day casino junket, soon. Our Valentine Dinner may be a seafood buffet at a the casino where we could be spending the night.Romantic, for us it will be. A good night peck on the cheek from those dry parched lips, still sends chills up and down my spine.It may not be the Hilton, or a Caribbean cruise, with champagne and chocolates laid out on our pillow, but I'm still with my one and only love.
I cherish and appreciate these moments, now more then ever. We don't know how many more Valentine's Days, we will be able to enjoy together. The years are creeping up on us faster and faster, and we don't have any idea what's around the next bend in the road.
Yes, Valentine's Day is almost here, and I can hardly wait. There could be a valentine card on the kitchen table waiting for me when I get up to make our breakfast of either oatmeal and toast, or poached eggs and bacon, but if it's not there, it's okay too.I have the only valentine I will ever need, my mate of 50 years. No rose, or card, or candy will ever replace that.
