Romantic Notions of a Teenage Girl
On Valentine’s Day 1970, 51 years ago, Love Story by Erich Segal was released. This best-selling novel quickly became a movie that was released in December, with wide release on Christmas day.
In the fall of 1970, I was a sophomore in high school. My English teacher was a young, single woman who shared her passions with us. She easily convinced us all (well, the girls anyway) to grab a copy of Love Story when she described how she read the book aloud to her boyfriend (he was a football coach and driver’s ed. teacher and I’m not sure he was as enthused). I just thought this was the most romantic thing I had ever heard. Of course, I also saw the movie at the theater and cried through this tearjerker. And thus I entered my romantic stage.
Traditions
While the cynics among you may bemoan Valentine’s Day as commercial and insincere while employing unrealistic expectations, many presume that this day signals a return to “the good old days” of romance, perhaps with flowers, candy or a candlelight dinner. Truthfully, Valentine’s Day has always had a bit of fantasy mixed in.
Valentine’s Day is a holiday that is steeped with tradition. Traditions are important because they give children something to look forward to. They provide connections to the bigger story in family life and allow children to make memories. These traditions help people define themselves and their family.
One of my fondest Valentine’s Day memories comes from the thoughtfulness of my father. As we were growing up, each year my father would come home on Valentine’s Day with a large box of chocolates for my mother and he would give my sister, brother, and me our own small heart-shaped boxes of candy. Having our own box made each of us feel special.
Another very special tradition is the father/daughter dance. An opportunity to dress up and have the undivided attention of their father (step-father, grandfather, or uncle) allows these girls to learn the value of respect, love, and kindness while reveling in excitement.
