Valentine Hope!

 

It’s gray outside, in fact, it looks and feels bleak. Our country is not only cold, as in rain and snow, but also battling a virus. For the last few months things have been horrible and depressing. My noise cancelling headphones broke in half—so now there’s nowhere to hide from the six o’clock news. Our friends are in and out of hospitals. Sadly, despite our constant prayers, a few didn’t make it. Another is stuck in hospice.

Even during the darkest days, we know things will get better. Of course, they will, but even smiling broadcasters don’t have a clue as to when. But there’s always hope, or at least there should be hope.

“Where there is no hope, it is incumbent on us to invent it.”
~ Albert Camus

At 7:48am this morning someone sent me flowers. The doorbell rang and the driver, who should have worn a mask, handed me a lovely bouquet of roses, lilies and daisies. After setting them on the counter, I immediately washed my hands. Still, it came as a delightful surprise.

Five minutes later, a romantic couple of large, mallard ducks flew into our backyard as a sort of harbinger of spring. Splashing and quacking, they shook their tail feathers and sat down on the flagstone. Every year a couple, maybe the same ones, return to lay eggs behind our mesquite tree. Once the ducklings hatch, they toddle off behind mama duck, to a local creek. Why would this year be any different?

An hour later, my Valentine went to get his first dose of the vaccine. Things are looking up. There might even be a bit of sunshine today!

 

May hope and love fill your heart this Valentine’s Day!