Dads out there - always be your daughter's Valentine

Valentine's Day isn't the horrible, white-knuckle, cold sweat inducing day it used to be in my early 20s.  Now, it's simply another day where I am happily in love with my husband and can chastise him for being ripped off buying flowers on Valentine's day, while secretly being glad he did.

In our early 20s, some of my girlfriends were in relationships, and some weren't.  So for some of us, Valentine's day was at best, well, awkward......girls at work getting deliveries of flowers and chocolate, swooning over a gift from a secret admirer (you know those girls, every office has one, they giggle, wear pencil skirts and tight sweaters....have MANY admirers).  Me, I would try and become invisible, seem really busy.... oh, is it Valentine's day today!?  But not for my friend Lesley.  She always had a Valentine.....her dad.

I clearly remember one Valentine's day when neither Lesley nor I were in a relationship, and whereas I came home from work feeling sad, lonely and pathetic, she came home with a smile on her face.  Her dad had sent her a cute Valentine's Day arrangement to her office.  She had a Valentine to proudly display on her desk, for all to see (eat that you giggling, pencil skirt wearing twits).  On Valentine's day, if you are not in a relationship, it is easy to feel wretched and sorry for yourself....but if you have a Valentine (even if it is your dad), it helps to remind you that you are loved and important.

When my daughter was born, I told hubby the story of Lesley's dad always sending her a Valentine's day gift, and I asked him to always make sure our little girl gets a Valentine from him..... especially when she is an adult.  So far, even though she is only 7, he gets her a Valentine every year, an annual reminder, that she is adored.

So, to all you dads out there - send your daughters a Valentine, especially if they don't have anyone else to make them feel special on Valentine's Day.  By the way, it always helps to sign the card "your secret admirer" - so even though she knows who sent her the Valentine, the girls at the office won't!