Love Never Ages

You have one week until Valentine’s Day, a day draped in reds and pinks and sprinkled with heart-shaped candies. And this day isn’t just a celebration of love; it’s a canvas of feelings, evolving beautifully with every phase of our lives.

As a baby, Valentine’s Day is a mystery, a whirl of colors and warmth. Parents hold their little ones close, whispering sweet nothings, while the baby babbles in return, an unspoken language of pure love. It’s a day of cuddles, baby giggles, and soft lullabies, painting a picture of unconditional love.

Trotting into toddlerhood, it becomes a day of delightful mess. Hands dipped in paint, creating heart-shaped art while frosting more of themselves than the cookies meant for Mom and Dad. It’s a day of innocent love, where a scribbled card holds the weight of a thousand words.

Then comes the school-age years, where Valentine’s becomes a day of sweet innocence. Writing names on cartoon-themed cards to give out in class, hoping your crush secretly knows their card is just a bit more special. It’s a day of giggles and blushes, where friendship is the purest form of love.

Ah, the teenage years! Valentine’s Day now dances with drama and butterflies. High school hallways buzz with who-likes-who while secret admirers send anonymous roses. It’s the first dance of romantic love, a mix of awkwardness and exhilaration, a tentative step towards understanding the heart’s complex melodies.

College years turn Valentine’s into a mixtape of experiences. For some, it’s a day of romantic escapades, candlelit dinners, and shared dreams. For others, it’s a solidarity of singleness, where friends gather, celebrating their freedom and friendship, a different but equally meaningful love.

As young adults, Valentine’s Day begins to deepen in meaning. It’s no longer just about the grand gestures but the little moments of love – cooking a meal together, watching a favorite movie, or simply sharing the day’s tales. It’s about finding joy in the ordinary and realizing that love is not just an emotion but a daily commitment.

Then, as grown-ups, Valentine’s becomes a reflection of enduring love. It’s celebrating the years, the challenges overcome, the joys shared. It’s appreciating the partner who knows all your flaws but loves you still. It’s a day of gratitude for love that has matured, like fine wine, richer with time.

And in the twilight years, Valentine’s Day turns nostalgic. It’s a day of reminiscing – love letters tied with ribbons, dances in the living room, laughter echoing through the years. It’s holding hands, now wrinkled and worn, a testament to a lifetime of love. For the elderly, it’s a gentle reminder that love, in its essence, never ages.

Valentine’s Day evolves throughout each stage, yet its core remains the same – a celebration of love in its myriad forms. From the unconditional love of a parent to the innocent love of a child, from the sweet pangs of first love to the deep connection of a lifelong partnership, Valentine’s Day is a mosaic of the heart’s journey.

So, let’s embrace Valentine’s Day not just as a day for couples but as a celebration of love in all its beautiful stages. Whether you’re knee-deep in diapers, scribbling notes in class, navigating the tides of young love, basking in the glow of mature companionship, or reminiscing the years gone by, remember, each Valentine’s Day is a chapter in the incredible story of the heart. And what a splendid story it is.

And, of course, this verse ties a bow on the whole journey: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others; it is not self-seeking; it is not easily angered and keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. - 1 Corinthians 13:4-7