Love and Light and Valentine’s Day

Somewhere along the way we got Christmas put up in the attic.
And we found Candlemas and Valentines Day along the way.
Over the past week or so I have taken the the time to sprinkle bits of it here and there.

I know it wasn’t meant as a Valentines decoration specifically, but to me it is.
The colors, the sentiments, it all seems perfect for the months of January and Febuary.
The red warms everything up, the blues are like sky on a shockingly cold day.

I know that not everyone loves winter and how early the sun sets, or how chilly the tempatures get.
But I love it. Not indefinately, but for a couple of months that we experiance it in my small part of the world
.
I love the grayness of the evening light, the soft glow from lamps and candles in the evening, the desire to make comfort food,  and the way I feel snuggled under half a dozen blankets.

Of all the days of note that come after Christmas, in the months of January and Febuary,  Candlemas and   Valentines Day are my favorites.
Days that celebrate love and light in the midst of the darkest and coldest months are warmest and  most comforting to me. I like that they call me out of myself and remind me gently to share their gifts of light and love, quietly and slowly, and with much intention.