Share A Little Love

Valentine's Day is coming. Did you order flowers, buy a gift, make restaurant reservations, or plan a getaway? Or are you one of those people who make the rest of us look bad by doing all of the above? I hope you will find at least one way to express your love to the special person or people in your life. 

For the record, over 145 million cards will be sent out this Valentine’s Day in the United States alone (still a far cry from the 2+ billion Christmas cards).

Are you ready for the next statistic?

Approximately 85 percent of the cards are purchased by women! Are you surprised? Come on men, we have some catching up to do! On the other hand, men spend over 40% more on their wives than women spend on their husbands!!!* Hey, that's not fair!!!! 

I have to add one more little tidbit. Pet gifts are also telling a story. Cat owners are spending on average $14 more for their gifts than dog owners are.* (As a dog owner I might want to suggest that cat owners are overdoing it.)

I will let it up to you as to how much you want to spend and what you want to do regarding Valentine's Day, except to encourage you to show some love to someone -- if not a partner or spouse, children or pets, what about a friend, a neighbor, or someone living alone? And, if you cannot think of anyone, let me suggest an idea: Send a letter to the Italian city of Verona, scene of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, which receives about 1,000 letters addressed to Juliet every year. 

I hope you will enjoy the holiday and find meaning and joy in sharing love with someone on February 14th. Just remember, there is one gift you will never match. Out of his immeasurable love for you, God gave his Son, Jesus, to forgive you, to redeem you, and to enable you to have deep, lasting, loving relationships with your loved ones through his love for you. May you celebrate God's gift of his son in your heart and life, and may it pour out into your relationships on February 14, 2020 and beyond.

*https://www.finder.com/valentines-day-statistics