I’ve got a friend who seems to be a perpetual bachelor. He has been single, following a divorce, for nearly 20 years. Over the years he has dated numerous women, not usually very seriously, but he always seems to have 4 or 5 ladies that he is interacting with. One of his favorite lines to me is, he is always sure to end any ongoing relationship before Christmas and start dating again after Valentine’s Day. In other words, he wants to avoid the whole gift giving thing. Shopping for, and finding, the right gift is just too much effort.
Have you ever felt that way? Or perhaps you are on the other extreme where you enjoy the hunt for the perfect gift, scouring the stores or the internet until you find exactly what you are looking for. But what happens if you present this gift and your significant other is less than thrilled? Are you upset? Do you find yourself thinking, “After all the effort I put into finding this present, how can he be so ungrateful?”
Most all of us have at one time or another have probably found ourselves in one of these two situations. But why? I would submit that we have forgotten the most perfect gift of all – the genuine expression of never-ending, unconditional love. We all want it. We all yearn to have someone love us forever no matter how unlovable we sometimes are. Isn’t that the overarching greatest gift we can give? Isn’t that what Valentine’s Day is all about?
So, as you shop for your significant other, don’t lose sight of the greatest gift! Happy Valentine’s Day!