//update// thank you so much for all the blog post love!
Valentine’s Day for me, at least for the past three years… has been about remembering my wonderfully lovely grandmother, Antonia Sanger Pestaño. She passed on Valentine’s Day of 2009, and although some may see that as unfortunate, I only saw it as appropriate. She was love- personified, in every way possible, and thinking of her on Valentine’s Day only reminds me to love more.
Here she is, circa mid 1930s (my guess):
Anyway, I know a lot of people get all grumpy pants about Valentine’s Day… because it’s a “hallmark holiday,” merely a way for businesses to make more money, because it commercializes love and turns relationships into some showy gift-giving contest… BUT if you can take some time to step away from the negativity that others bring on this day, what it really comes down to is LOVE. And as cheesy as that sounds, how bad would it be to just take that to heart?
So today, tell someone you love them :) Tomorrow, tell someone you love them. EVERY day, tell someone you love them. Instead of saying Valentine’s Day shouldn’t exist, how about we say that EVERYDAY should be like Valentine’s Day?
If only more ladies thought the same way lol, February 13th wouldn’t be so stressful for procrastinators like me haha
Haha. I’m just grateful for my boyfriend, and maybe it’s because we’ve been together so long… but I think we both just do some much for each other on a daily basis that we don’t have to do something “special” for Valentine’s Day.
Reblogged this on Lovebugxx's Blog and commented:
I completely agree, why hate on the special day when you celebrate it with loved one’s
thanks for the reblog <3
The difference between the right word and the almost right word is more than just a fine line! it’s like the difference between a lightning bug and the lightning!
That was a great drawing……….
really spreading love is the most wonderful work on the globe. Fantastic post buddy..
thank you, interwebz friend!
I used to get all greedy for the attention on Valentines day..,red hearts,roses and chocolates (and gifts :)) but what you say makes a lot of sense..you echo my husband.;that’s what he always says.
This year he cooked me a great meal at home and I got treated like a queen, I was JUST thankful I had him in my life.
make sure he knows how thankful you are! :)
i think that seems to be the problem… i think some people get so caught up in the gifts- that they forget to be thankful that there is even somewhere there to give them those gifts :)
thanks for the read/comment!
Yes will do :) and your drawing is lovely!
Your grandmother was beautiful. And it’s beautiful how you think of her and Valentine’s Day now! I really agree with you. People hate Valentine’s when they’re single, and be ashamed of it when they’re in a relationship… it doesn’t make sense. My favourite thing is writing/ recieving a card which has hand written feelings and love in it. I think I said in my blog, you don’t need an excuse to tell someone you love them, but why not take an extra one on Valentines?
Thank you x
I love that! “why not take an extra one.”
Thank YOU! <3
I think valentine’s day has been overrated and if we took the time to tell our better halves how much they meant to us everyday then it wouldn’t come down to this.
I definitely agree, and I think I wrote it in a response to another comment, that if our society was a more loving society… that Valentine’s Day wouldn’t have to exist… or at least wouldn’t be so commercialized. The same could be said about Christmas, too.
But I think rather than thinking of V-Day as “overrated,” a better word might be “corrupted.” ;)
Thanks for stopping by!
Yeah, I think some people just need to hear the words ”I love you” more often, if more people were told that, and if everyone at least smiled at someone they didn’t know, tell a stranger they are pretty, the world would most definently be a better place. A few days ago I told this lady I meet out in public she was pretty, and she was very happy. :) People just need to do that right?
It’s always the little things that seem to make a bigger impression on people :) I’ve had strangers smile at me and give me compliments once in a while… and I find myself still remembering those little moments and having their faces captured in my head. I think I remember more things like that than all the presents I’ve ever received.
I was smiling after reading your post. I think the same way about my mother. She passed away in Dec 2010 & was one of the best people I have ever known. Also, my husband keeps on telling the same sentence as your last one that everyday should be valentine’s day :). Congratulations on being freshly pressed. Good message & good way of putting it :).
Your husband is a wise man! :) More husbands should be like him <3 Thank you for stopping by!
I completely agree! Obviously Valentine’s Day has, to some extent, been made into this ‘Hallmark Holiday’ as a previous commenter picked up on, but it is great to show the people you love that you do love them and appreciate them, although you should do it every day, not just once a year :) I like your drawings too, you’re very talented!
Aww shucks, well thank you :)
Keep loving!
“EVERYDAY should be like Valentine’s Day” indeed.
In the end, when we leave this earth, it’s not the presents we’ve given that matters, it’s the number of lives we’ve touched. So let’s not just say “I Love You”, let’s keep on touching lives everyday as well.
Thanks for sharing this, Angela!
Thanks for reading, Aubrey!
great post !
http://www.amiarting.wordpress.com
thank you, ami!
I LOVE this post and your idea
ty :)
What a beautiful post, thank you for renewing my faith in Valentine’s Day! Beautiful drawing and a beautiful grandmother :)
thank you, gina! i’m glad i could renew your faith. if we take a lot of things down to the basics… i feel like people would appreciate lots of things so much more.
Thank you
[...] Remembering love: http://angelagraciela.wordpress.com/2012/02/14/v-day-for-me/ [...]
yes yes yes . we should LOVE everyday!!!! Beautiful drawing.
ty so much!
Beautiful thoughts. ALl that Velntines day denial is getting to a ridiculous point. For instance yesteday at a photoshoot for my blog we passed a beer restaurant and saw a flyer in the window saying :
“Dear guests. Do not be surprised if on your arrival with heart-shaped decorations you may not be served or even asked to leave this place. This restaurant DOES NOT celebrate Valentines day”
I was amazed how narrow sighted people (and businesses) can be!
lovelly post and lovelly idea about turning everyday to Valentines day :))
Great post. :)
http://dressupforme.wordpress.com/2012/02/14/under-the-red-label-love/
what a beautiful drawing :D
thank you so much! i appreciate you taking the time to comment :D
This Valentine’s Day very Bad for me i lost my lover…really i am very upset please someone give me idea…..i dont know what i am goind to do??????????????????????????????///
surround yourself with those you love and those that love you! its hard to stay positive, but keep yourself busy and surrounded by positivity while you work through this tough time.
much love, angela.
Thanks for your complement….i try my level best….thank you very much
Ya very good post rally like that………………
I’m not a fan of Feb. 14 myself. Love should never be equated to material stuff. It seems there’s a contest in Facebook who got the greatest gift this Valentine. Arggghhhh!!!! There’s like a frenzy on whose partner gave the biggest bouquet or something. But, hey, I tell myself, let them be! After all, there’s only one particular day in a year when they don’t get to fight like cats and dogs.
i feel you! my fb news feed was definitely filled with pictures of balloons and flowers… no puppies this year, though, lol. and although i do agree that some people may just be trying to show off, or prove something to others or themselves… it made them happy- if even for a little bit.
took a quick peek @ your blog… loving what i’ve seen so far!
nice…
This said it all,” Instead of saying Valentine’s Day shouldn’t exist, how about we say that EVERYDAY should be like Valentine’s Day?”
When we take away all the trimmings and the buying of things…the essence of love makes Valentine’s Day trully special…so yes, live in love everyday…simple, pure, beautiful.
exactly. what harm does it cause to be positive on v-day? NONE.
you drawing is very good, support you
thank you for the support :)
Hi Angela,
There are some beautifully expressed sentiments on this page on love which should make the reader think and ponder on the meaning of love….. for truly our ability to feel and express love is the biggest blessing of our lives. We shall always hope that there will be more and more people who will look at strangers too with love and understanding .. for then they will realise that they are all children of the One God.
thanks for the loving words, Roda!
love <3
well waddya no, I stumbled onto this post, just after coming across a line
“If you don show it, it ain’t love darlin.”
Totally agree! :)
:)
thanks, darlin’!
i really like the drawing. and ur sentiment about showing people you love them. I did that with my parents yesterday. I stay away from home, so I don’t get much chance to do anything for them. Yesterday was truly a special day. i’m a romantic, and i don’t know how people have allowed V day to become this cynical and loveless. Really like ur post!:)
thank you for reading! and thank you for not being one of the cynical and loveless. my parents live on the east coast and i am in the midwest, so my time with them is very special, too :)
Ur welcome..and i enjoyed reading, so there isn’t any need for formalities. Thanks for writing this and making it clear that there are people like me who feel closer to their parents because they live far away from them:)
I know you probably heard this a billion times, but it is perfectly said! You don’t need all that candy, teddies, hearts, flowers… would be nice.. but its the thought the I love you that matters the most, even if it is a 5 minute conversation, or as little as a visit!
…or even a cute text message <3
thanks for you comment! i really do appreciate each and every one i've received today!
I agree with you. And you’re drawing is quite good!
thank you, gracie!
I think what you are doing is wonderful and you picked a good muse. Why can’t Valentine’s Day encompass all love not just romantic? Thank you for sharing.
you’re welcome :)
thank you for letting me share with you.
LOVE this post!
thank YOU!
i just got the news that my pseudo-grandma pass away today as well… still raw but quite fitting that this showed up on Freshly Pressed. happy Valentine’s :)
i’m sorry to hear about your loss. love will pull you through :)
Love this! Love your take on Valentine’s Day….mine is similar. I had a special valentine’s tea for my 10 yr old daughter & her classmates because I LOVE them today & everyday! Beautiful post!
sounds fun & adorable :) i’m glad your day was filled with love <3
We should take it a step further … declare Valentine’s Day a public holiday! Read my arguments here: http://huxiling.wordpress.com/2012/02/14/why-valentines-day-should-be-declared-a-public-holiday-in-malaysia/
“we say that EVERYDAY should be like Valentine’s Day”I like your words and your lovely drawing.
thank you so much :) i’m glad you enjoyed my post!
Thank you…for the reminder.
My husband had to work yesterday because he works in hospitality. We are going out on a date tonight with our little toddler (not much of a date by the usual definitions).
Let us not forget to love and appreciate people in our lives on a daily basis
my boyfriend lives in a different state… it’s only a little over 2 hours of a drive, but it can get tough when you can’t always spend time with the one you love.
and i couldn’t think of a better third wheel for your ‘date.’ he is, after all, the product of love :)
I was also very close to my Grandmother and she passed away on Ash Wednesday last year. That will be a bittersweet day, remembering all the memories we shared, watching the video of her eating ice cream on her 100th birthday while taking in her incredible laughter. I miss her a lot. This is a post I wrote about her on her 100th birthday and another post about what an incredible woman she was: http://6monthstolive.wordpress.com/2010/11/09/centenarian/ and http://6monthstolive.wordpress.com/2011/03/27/a-tribute-to-my-favorite-centenarian/
I love what you said about using today to share and experience love. I had mixed feelings this morning like many of us do about Valentine’s Day, but you’re right about using it as a day to share and give love. My Grandmother embodied love and what that meant. That’s what it’s really about–whether that’s with a partner, boyfriend, girlfriend, friend, animal, etc. Great post! Thank you!
Love the positive thoughts. And yes, Valentine’s Day SHOULD exist every single day. *love* :)
<3
Congrats on being Freshly pressed! I’m going to follow you from here! I love all types ot art and your blog looks really great! Loving the self-portrait!
thanks for the follow! i really want to stop by everyone’s blogs who have commented on my post today, but due to the overwhelming amount of comments, it may take me a few days. i wanted to make sure to at least reply to all the comments.
thank you for the compliments! and thank you ahead of time for your future visits :)
Thank you!! Have fun with viewing everyone’s blogs! Hope to see more of you soon.
It is a beautiful drawing :) Yes I do agree with you, we should make everyday as a valentine day so that everyday we will love others :)
I love this post!
thank you so much, yulia!
Well written article. I entirely agree with you that the day is highly commercialised. Let it be Valentine’s Day everyday. Congrats on being Freshly Pressed!!. I have also written an article tilted; The man I love; Happy Valentine’s Day!!
Absolutely!
thanks for reading!
With reading nothing but one word, you are either Canadian or lived in Canada at some point.
haha, what? i am actually not Canadian… nor have I ever lived in Canada. I hear it’s nice, though ;)
Reblogged this on WordPress Trends.
thanks for the reblog! <3
Hi Angela!
Wow, you’re drawings are really awesome! Ever heard that before ;)? Still, I just had to tell you. I’m trying out drawing myself, and I’m hoping some day I’ll be as good as you!
You really hit it with this post about V-Day, I totally hear you!
Your grandmother sounds like a wonderful person, rest her soul. She would’ve been proud. Congrats on being FP!
thank you so much! you are too sweet. :)
she was the MOST wonderful person, and it touches my heart to hear you say that she’d be proud. She always loved seeing my artwork, and i’m glad that i’m still doing something that she appreciated.
good luck with the drawing! practice only makes it better!
dam i wish i could draw like you can. i can draw but not that good
practice, practice, practice!
and thank you :)
this put a smile on my face
Thank you :)
your comment put a smile on mine :)
thank YOU!
This post is so sweet. I love the thought and message of it :)
P.S. Lovely drawing!
thanks :)
hope you had a lovely day!
Lovely . I’d like to give my Valentine’s post back to you: http://bluegrassnotes.wordpress.com/2012/02/14/happy-valentines-day/
thank you :)
Brilliant! Thanks Angela. I’ll keep reading your work.
All the best
Matt
Very nice drawings Angela. Lovely story.
Matt
http://miscommunications.wordpress.com/
sorry, can I ask a question? Would you mind telling me how you got the Pinterest button that you have at the bottom of your page? I’m useless!
Matt x
http://miscommunications.wordpress.com/
hey! first, thank you :)
2nd, I copy and pasted a code from pinterest’s help page into a widget.
Good to know!
thank you, matt! your words are much appreciated :)
lovely! thanks for sharing.
Beautiful thoughts! Grandmothers are special. I think of mine as well on Valentine’s (which is every day…like you say.)
i only wish that more people could have met her :)
thank you for coming by my blog <3
Great post! I agree…. it’s important to tell people we love them every day, but there’s nothing wrong with a special day to celebrate it. I wish more people could put aside the negativity about the cards, flowers and chocolates and just enjoy it. All you need is love :)
Congrats on being Freshly Pressed!
thank you for the congrats! it’s pretty exciting :D i almost don’t know how to handle all the comments, likes, and follows.
love and more love!
Wow….your thoughts on “Love” shared this day, were exactly I shared on my posting today.
i am glad to know that i’m not the only one who hasn’t turned all grumpy pants about v-day!
nice list!
here’s my take on Slap Day…
http://aakashtyagi.wordpress.com/2012/02/15/slap-day/
Just came across your blog! Love this post and your other drawings! Beautiful!
thank you, Melissa! you’re sweet!
I would enjoy this holiday so much more if more people could see it the way you do !
:) spread the word ;)
Angela I am sorry I do not draw,
but here is my way of showing appreciation to some one I love.
Thank you, Victor!
Thanks for sharing your drawing. It’s great. Connie
http://7thandvine.wordpress.com/
Thanks for taking a look, Connie! <3
Oh, I agree with you! I’ve been trying to keep people feeling chipper all day via Twitter etc, posting little pictures and giving everyone compliments. It’s been difficult as some people are just determined to spread unhappiness/tell me that it’s a silly commercial holiday…
Anyway, I loved your post, and your absolutely adorable drawing. Thank you for sharing it with all of us!
Much as I hate self-promoting – I wrote a post along similar lines earlier today! http://ameliaflorencesimmons.wordpress.com/2012/02/14/the-valentines-day-conundrum/
Happy Valentine’s Day to you! xx
Thank you, Angela, for hitting the nail on the head. You are absolutely correct. So very sorry that you lost your grandmother, but her spirit and memory live on through you, especially as you share a bit of wisdom with us.
Sending you peace and love, everyday,
Kate
peace and love back to you, kate :) thank you for reading my post!
You rule Angela!
Lovely drawing and thoughts :)
thank you so much! love your gravatar doodle!
“Tomorrow, tell someone you love them. EVERY day, tell someone you love them. Instead of saying Valentine’s Day shouldn’t exist, how about we say that EVERYDAY should be like Valentine’s Day?”
I couldn’t agree more!
i love you! for reading my post :)
Great post and awesome illustrations! Thank you for sharing! …following your blog…
thank you for the follow and for the compliment! i hope you enjoy my future posts :)
Your drawing is as lovely as your words.
thank you so much, katherine! i appreciate your comment. thanks for taking the time to read my post!
I’ve been a graphic designer for many years and do appreciate illustrations as nice as yours.
http://graphicdesignnotes.wordpress.com/
I will definitely check out your work Katherine! I always appreciated a compliment from a fellow creative.
I’m one of those people who often think of Valentine’s Day as a ‘Hallmark Holiday.” While I’m not sure I’ve changed my mind, you’ve certainly given me reason to reappraise my opinion.
it is, of course, and will always be somewhat of a hallmark holiday… but it never hurts to try to see the positive side of things, or what positivity you can take from something negative.
i’m glad that i could at least make you rethink it! i hope your day (and life) is not without love. have a great one!
Partially agree… everyday should be like Valentine’s day BUT besides TELLING people you love them how about making ACTIONS that show your love and care about them? I think facts speak louder than words. Don’t you?
Have a nice day and keep up the good work!
Cheers,
CartoonizeAPicture
i definitely agree with you! actions definitely speak louder than words. however, coming from situations where love wasn’t always made verbal… sometimes people just need to hear “i love you” because they might not always think about the non-traditional and not obvious actions of love.
I spent a few minutes going through your drawings – very nice and very fun. Keep that pen moving!
thanks, jason! i appreciate you taking the time. :) i love sharing my art with people… if not for sharing, art would be nothing…
great post and drawing. happy love day -and everyday- to you!
thank you! happy love day to you as well :) enjoy the people (or pets) around you! <3
Such a beautiful sentiment and endearing post.
While personally, I know my writing comes off as slightly jaded at times, there is one thing about which I’m resolute on this holiday (and every day): My children mean the world to me, and they are my heart beating outside my body. So today, Valentine’s Day, I celebrate them — and try to reserve my cynicism for my blog!
Congrats on a charming Freshly Pressed … love it!
♥
Thank you so much! Hearing people talk about their love for their children always puts a smile on my face. It also makes me really look forward to one day feeling that. <3 Have fun celebrating your children and celebrating with them! (And trust me… I definitely have my cynical side!)
Very touching piece and a wonderful dedication to your grandmother! I agree with you that love needs to be celebrated daily! That’s why my post today is called 364 V Days : ) Love & Light, el
lots of love back to you <3
I can never understand why people would only use Valentines Day as an excuss to tell their other half how much they love each other. If that’s the case how do they show their love for each other when it’s not Valentines Day? Sorry to hear about your grandma by the way.
Definitely agree with you… and I think that may have been my reason in the past for feeling negatively about Valentine’s Day. There should be enough love in the world, where a day specifically put aside for it would be considered silly!
I LOVE this post and your idea. I do think spreading the love is what this world really needs.
Happy Valentine’s Day and congrats on being Freshly Pressed!
Thank you for the congratulations! I am very excited about making the “Freshly Pressed” page for the first time! I am overwhelmed by the comments and likes :)
Happy Valentine’s Day to YOU and yours!
Amen!
:)
I agree with you.Some people should just stop hating and start enjoying this holiday. Happy Valentine’s to you! :)
I have to admit that when I was younger and felt like I had no one to celebrate with or for (even though I had plenty of loved ones around me) I had the same feelings. But if you strip away all the candy, teddy bears, diamond jewelry, etc… you can’t say no to celebrating love!
yeah i agree with you because this holiday is about love and giving
it is! and it’s a shame that people have become so cynical about it.