Love in a Hallmark Card?

I really do despise the "Hallmark" holidays!

Mother's Day, Father's Day, Valentine's Day, you name it I hate it.  It's not that I'm necessarily a curmudgeon when it comes to celebrations (well, okay, maybe I am just a little bit) but I hate the feeling of being pushed in a corner and forced to celebrate.

I'm not one for sending cards of any kind but if you do happen to receive an actual card adorned with a stamp on the envelope and delivered by the antiquated United States postal service, then you should feel 'special'.  It means I actually took the time to pick something out especially for you, pay for it, write in it with an actual pen, search my address book for your current living residence, place the stamp on the envelope, and drop it in an actual mail box.

Let's be honest, I don't 'expect' anything for Mother's Day tomorrow.  I already got my gift the other night.  I was dead tired after a day of chores.  I also cooked a pretty decent dinner.  I just had to put the dishwasher on before we could put our dinner dishes in because it was way too full.  So, I had absolutely no energy left when I remembered that all of the night's dishes and pots and pans were still in the sink.  I had yet to put the clean dishes away.  So, I did what any smart mother would do and I asked my boys to work as a team and put them away.  They agreed to do it and I put my feet up on the couch to enjoy my break.

While I was resting and watching them work together and even towel-dry the dishes that weren't completely dry I had a sense of pride.  I vocalized my gratitude more than once and explained that I really appreciated their help.  They assured me that it was no problem.  And this little contribution they made to ease my load of chores made me feel that I was loved.  That I mattered to them.

You just can't buy that feeling in a Hallmark card.