Isn’t it sad, just how “unthankful” we can become?
Don has sent me flowers at work for Valentine’s Day the last two years I have lived here. When I was living in SD he didn’t know quite how to get flowers to me in the remote area I was living so I received a beautiful card instead.
I’m not sure why it is such a tremendous thrill to receive flowers at work but for me, it is! I suppose it’s because it hasn’t happened a ton of times in my lifetime and typically it’s so unexpected and joy that is unexpected is the very best!
I was so excited for Valentine’s Day tomorrow because I was pretty sure there would be a delivery. This sort of suggests that I had crossed over from the “unexpected joy” into the less appreciative “expected joy” mode. I didn’t realize how troublesome this might be until my day unfolded…or perhaps I should say, fell apart.
I suppose you could say I wasn’t the “bouncing off the walls” kind of happy because I woke up with a sore throat and chills and felt pretty miserable. When Don got home from work we were excited to see one another as I was gone over the weekend so we shared a big smile and a nice warm hug. Once inside, he sat down, like he does every day, and removed his boots. I went back to what I was doing before he arrived but for some reason I returned to the living room and when I did I saw Don holding a dozen beautiful pinkish coral roses and another bouquet of mixed flowers in his hands that he had purchased at the grocery store when I was gone. He had them hidden in the coat closet and was surprised I hadn’t found them. I should have been thrilled but instead I was disappointed and hurt and I, in turn, hurt him. I said, “I get to arrange my own flowers. Great.” I’m not sure why those grocery flowers feel differently than the flower shop ones. They certainly shouldn’t. They are just as beautiful but my bad attitude took them into the kitchen, found a vase and began to reluctantly arrange them.
About then the neighbor showed up and offered suggestions on how I should be trimming all the stems under water and I said, “They’re fine.” and continued poking them into the vase. I think he could sense the tension in the air so he changed the subject. I asked him to join us for supper and while we were eating I could see the beautiful roses sitting on the hutch.
It gave me time to think about how incredibly spoiled I’ve become. I “expected” flowers to be delivered when in reality, Don is not required to do anything nice for me….especially when I expect it.
After our neighbor left, Don headed off to bed. He was sad that I wasn’t happy with the flowers but told me the flower shops couldn’t promise Valentine delivery so he came up with a different plan.
Honestly, I don’t deserve those roses. There are thousands of women that would have been overjoyed with them but because someone else didn’t arrange them and bring them to me, I wasn’t that giddy, silly little school girl happy I thought I needed to be.
I got to thinking about my mom. Not once do I ever remember her getting anything from dad on Valentine’s Day. It was just another day. How could this humble, unspoiled woman have ever created a daughter like me? I thought for a while and then remembered something Don told me when we met. He said, “One of the things I like most about you is the fact that you’ve never been spoiled but in order to be my girl, you will have to allow me to spoil you.”…..Well, spoil me he did and what a brat I’ve turned out to be.
The roses are absolutely beautiful but what’s even more beautiful is the love a rough, tough bearded man has for his “woman.”
I love you Donald. I really do and the roses are beautiful. Thank you! Happy Valentine’s Day!
(PS: There’s a lot more of my history that inspired this post….years of disappointment that I learned to live with. It just reared it’s ugly head for a bit when what I thought was going to happen didn’t and I let someone I never want to be take my place.)
One response to “Special Delivery”
We all have moments we want to take back. I know you will do some incredible so he knows how much you love him.. Love you Mom.