Sweet Life

When I was younger, I used to devour a whole bag or role of sweet tarts. It didn’t matter what kind they were, but my favorite are the heart shaped ones. Around Valentine’s Day I looked forward to their annual drop, and I recently found a friend of mine who gets my sweet tart obsession. But one day, back in the younger, less-self-controlled years, might we say? I took sweet tarts too far. I remember sitting on my parent’s bed with my favorite treat watching a movie.

I ate the entire bag of sweet tarts in one sitting.

Before the movie was over.

I think my teeth were permanently damaged from the amount of sugar consumption and I definitely gave myself a cavity with all those sweet tarts. Yet, what is sweeter than a toothache? Anything probably. But no, really.

Sweet love is!

My little brother asked a girl in his 6th grade class this week to be his Valentine. He hit our family group chat up with:

Hey yall.

I got a valentine.

My response:

WHAT. NO WAY.

How is it that my little brother who I’ve watched grow up, asked his first valentine to be…his!?!

Sitting on the floor of my room I was grinning for him, sharing in the joy that it is to be seen by someone. I’ve watched him struggle with acceptance from kids his age, dealing with mean comments and low self-esteem for a while, but when he called to tell me about it, I melted hearing his smile through the phone.

Apparently Ferrero Rocher might have influenced his success, but the day of love reminds me of a lot of things.

It takes me back to classrooms filled with brown paper bags, colorful paper valentines, and lots of candy. I think of flowers that flood the local Kroger and gas station, and cards that my parents used to leave for me when I woke up on Valentine’s Day. I think about how I used to take tons of Valentine’s Day reservations when I hosted at a steakhouse in high school, and today I think about Valentine’s Day not in a negative way, but as a day to celebrate how good love is.

Love will come in and out of life, and there are many types of love to experience. Living a sweet life consists of enjoying each season and growing into the next.

Sometimes love you share with someone might taste sweet and turn sour. Maybe you find yourself trying to ‘get loved’ by people who will never fill your cup. You might lose yourself in the fantasy of ‘what if’ love scenarios, overthinking and overcalculating. Good love could find us early in life or take its time. Wholesome parental love is something I wish all people could know and feel, and some love, leaves Earth too early.

The thing I believe most clearly about love though, is that Jesus Christ died for the world because He is love. There’s no greater sacrifice.

To be united to Him in His love is the best love you could find in any season.

This Valentine’s Day, I hope you’re kind to others, just like the girl who said yes to being my little brother’s valentine, and I hope you contain any candy addiction for the sake of your dental health. But most importantly, I hope you know what it’s like to accept God’s good and perfect love into your life.

Best,

Meg