Valentine's Day 2013 will be warming my heart for a long time to come. What started out as another ordinary day evolved into an assemblage of adventure.
My first adventure was getting myself to the bus stop on time for an early bus to New York City. I had an appointment for a stress test at 10 AM. Once I'd arrived at Port Authority my next leg involved getting myself to the A Train during the morning scramble. After boarding the subway and successfully getting off at the right stop, Columbus Circle, I headed to my destination on 59th Street across from St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital. Hopping on a treadmill that that keeps going faster only compounded the stress I was already feeling, but let's just say I survived the test and was immensely relieved when it was finished!
Walking out of the medical building after my test, I was met by the exuberance of the day. After a blizzard dropped about a foot and a half of snow over the weekend, the bright sun overhead, accompanied by milder temperatures, was a welcome sign.
My stress test instructions were to hold the coffee, so my first stop was Starbucks for a tall Tazo Chai Tea Latte with soy milk. With tea in hand, I then headed back up 58th Street towards Columbus Circle. My destination was Central Park. Along the way men kept whisking past me with bouquets in hand, or a potted plant or a single rose. Valentine's Day was in the air!
Upon exiting the bus several hours earlier I'd turned back to the bus driver and with a big smile said, "Happy Valentine's Day"! I didn't hear his reply as the people in back of me were hurrying me along but a lady standing next to me told me his response. I learned that I was the first to give him a Valentine's Day greeting.
I think that's when the tone for my day was set. Since I was feeling the love that encircled me I wanted to extend the vibes. Making another's Valentine's Day brighter was my blueprint for the day, and I was going to do whatever I could to spread smiles.
Ambling through Central Park I extended a smile to everyone passing. That included the driver in the horse carriages, joggers, mothers pushing children in strollers, an elderly couple sauntering along, couples in love, and even the couple from Italy who asked me where Strawberry Fields was.
While I was enjoying myself on the pathways in the park, I received a text from a friend who invited me out to dinner this evening. She was recently widowed and being without a significant other myself it seemed like a delightful idea so I accepted.
This Valentine’s Day with its assemblage of adventure definitely helped me feel the love to overflowing so that I could give it away.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
