L to the O to the V to the E

Many of my friends know Valentines Day is one of my favourite days of the year. Ohhhh the romance. Who cares if it's overblown, Hallmark style. You can decide how you spend the day - if you sell out to cheap chocolates and expensive roses - or instead use the day as a way to remind the ones you love just how much you love them in unique, darling ways. Like red velvet cupcakes. Or poems. Or sticky notes. Or handmade cards. Gas stations that hand out flowers to women, ladies receiving a spa day and mothers getting breakfast in bed - how can that outpouring of love be a bad thing? So suck it up everyone and give in to one day that celebrates L.O.V.E.

Love is the only sane and satisfactory answer to the problem of human existence.
 ~Eric Fromm

This day doesn't have to be about romantic love either. It can be about the ones in our lives with whom we wouldn't be complete. Our girlfriends, our colleagues, our nieces, nephews, aunts and uncles. Our grandparents, our brothers, our sisters and parents. Here's a Valentine for two of my loves, my nephews:

I am super lucky to spend the day with my little lovebug Kason. I'm going to get dressed up and go out for dinner with them. Then we will probably watch In the Night Garden and eat some sweet goldfishes. My sister and I have the movie The Thing (potentially not the most hopelessly romantic movie...more like a redone horror film) for later. Best day ever.

Other than sharing my endearing love with the dude, I thought about giving some more love out. I got my Valentine a KIVA card, where they can spread the love to entrepreneurs around the globe to make a difference. I personally made a loan to a woman in Sierra Leone named Chando who is 41, married to a Pastor and trying to grow her retail business. Try spreading your love with a KIVA card here >>

So, happy loving! Tell someone today you love them in a language they can receive it. A kiss. A smile. Je t'aime. Te queiro. Ich liber dich. Ti amo. And, if they really mean a lot, throw out this little magnificent diddy: "You are blowing my mind."

 -- Besos xo