Valentines Day in grade school back then was a blast. I would spend the night before taking the paper valentines out of the box and deciding who in my class would get what. I always made sure Eric got the best one. I would spend sometimes an hour looking through them for the best one for him.

I was now in a career, had kids and was divorced when at the gym in my 30s I ran into Eric. We had conversation and one thing lead to another and we were in a relationship. I felt like I was on top of the world. I never loved this much and realized he had been in my heart for 30 years.

Valentine’s Day came and I said to Eric, how come I never received a Valentine from you in all those years of grade school? He said he never, ever gave them out. He just hated doing it as a boy and of course at that age I never noticed.

He then, reached into his pocket and said to me ” I did save the best valentine for you”. He gave me a box and I opened it and there was the most beautiful gold bracelet I have ever seen.”