by Allison Smith –
Following the “in-between” month of January, February is often seen as the time to get back to our regular routines, whether that be through exercise (see Sue’s First Word pg 8), eating a bit more healthily now that the holiday treats are gone, or trying to get our sleep schedules back on track.
February is also the month we celebrate Valentine’s Day, and I’ve been seeing love all around me. Recently, the cold weather prompted offers of help by a local woman to her neighbours who didn’t want to, or shouldn’t, be out in the frigid temperatures. It’s the love my daughter has for animals, as she begs my husband and I for a second dog. It’s the support I saw Peninsula women heap on another woman who was looking for guidance while she grew out her grey hair (for those not in the know, it’s only since Covid that many women grew comfortable embracing their natural hair and ditching the dye).
But at its heart, I think Valentine’s Day is about the love between family and romantic partners. As a special Christmas gift this year, I was able to share my mom’s love with my siblings. For Christmas 2022, I gifted her with a subscription to Storyworth. My mom was sent a question each week, covering a variety of topics from her first job to memories of her grandparents. Those questions and her answers were gathered into a book that I then gave my sister and brother for Christmas this year.
Late in my grandparents’ lives, we tried to get them to share their memories, coming up with questions and recording their answers. As precious as those interviews are, we left it a bit too late: my Grandma had been struggling with dementia for several years by then, so her answers weren’t as complete as we might have hoped. In giving the Storyworth books to my sister and brother, the three of us have many of our mom’s stories and memories preserved while she is still young enough to share them. My mom put so much time and thought into her answers, sharing her love for her family through them. And passing that love along fills my heart.
Photo by Janis Jean Photography.
Clothing provided and styled by Lily Pad Lingerie, Mattick’s Farm.
