Love is in the Little Things
Mr. Tomato with Bascom and Guinness
When I was younger, Valentine’s Day was a pinnacle moment for the men in my life (or the ones I wished were in my life) to show their love for me. My Dad always presented my Mom and sister and me with chocolates, or flowers, or some trinket that showed his love. He was dashing, and handsome, and I adored him. He was my first love and set a high bar for other loves to follow.
As a young woman, Valentine’s Day was either a sad day, if I had no one special in my life, or a day of high expectations that the person who was in my life would step up with some grand Hollywood style gesture that would make me feel like the most adored woman on the planet. Those expectations would inevitably lead to a certain amount of disappointment no matter what the day involved.
But then I grew up, and woke up, and learned to smell the coffee. Especially the cup of coffee my husband (Mr. Tomato) brings to me in bed every single day. He usually gets back in bed then too, and reads highlights of the morning paper to me. And we usually have one, if not two dogs snuggled in our bed. I wouldn’t trade these mornings for all the grand gestures in the world. Love is in the little things, and every day can be Valentine’s Day.
I also realized when I grew up, that Valentine’s isn’t just about romantic love, and a day that can only be celebrated by lovers. It’s a perfect day to appreciate the little things in life that bring you joy and love. And it’s a wonderful day to appreciate your tomato pals who make you laugh and who always have your back.
I also realized when I grew up, that learning to love yourself wasn’t just new age babble. Most of us are so generous with the love we give to others, but we’re downright stingy when it comes to ourselves. We’re not always kind to our body, we’re often our worst critics, and we don’t always take the time to fill our soul with the things that bring us joy and happiness.
So this Valentine’s Day, think about the little things that bring you joy every day. Think about all the people in your life who you dearly love. And most of all be kind to YOU. Send yourself a card this year, and luxuriat in being you.
Happy Valentine’s Day tomatoes! Here’s to being grown ups.
The tomato behind The Three Tomatoes.
Cheryl Benton, aka the “head tomato” is founder and publisher of The Three Tomatoes, a digital lifestyle magazine for “women who aren’t kids”. Having lived and worked for many years in New York City, the land of size zero twenty-somethings, she was truly starting to feel like an invisible woman. She created The Three Tomatoes just for the fun of it as the antidote for invisibility and sent it to 60 friends. Today she has thousands of friends and is chief cheerleader for smart, savvy women who want to live their lives fully at every age and every stage. She is the author of the novel, "Can You See Us Now?" and co-author of a humorous books of quips, "Martini Wisdom." Because she's lived a long time, her full bio won't fit here. If you want the "blah, blah, blah", read more. www.thethreetomatoes.com/about-the-head-tomato
Thank you. ??Happy Valentine’s Day to you. XXOX.
wonderful, loving article. happy v-tine day!
It’s a day for tomato-red sweaters, heart-shaped jewelry, and big smiles. This true, wise advice just gave me one, Cheryl–thank you! Happy Valentine’s Day to you, Stu, Ronnie, the grandkids, and the pups.