Yes, well. Sad to say that our first married Valentine’s Day will be celebrated from afar since I am currently in Oaxaca (wa-ha-ca), Mexico for work while husband-man is currently at our home in New Jersey. For work.
So how can you keep the romance flame burning from afar? (Generally speaking, of course. We all know that a single holiday isn’t the only time to show your love, right? Whew.) Apply these thoughts to your relationships that are miles away and right under your nose.
Communication. Sounds too easy, right? But more often than not we can mess up communication even while we’re face to face. Keep in touch often. Share pieces of your day, whether they be important, funny, silly, or personal. Send emails or messages, take pictures when you see something they would like. It’s a nice way to remind that person that you’re thinking of them often.
Show your love. Currently knee deep in The Happiness Project, author Gretchen Rubin describes this consciousness as “proofs of love.” The important thing to remember here is that it doesn’t necessarily mean material things, though small tokens such as picking up your significant other’s favorite fill-in-the-blank is always a sweet gesture. Things like showing true kindness, expressing interest in their day, or springing a hug at an unexpected moment are all ways to show that you value their company.
Get personal. We all know the traditional V-Day gestures: candy and flowers. Though I’m never going to hate on a bag of chocolate-covered pretzels (you don’t even need the fancy stuff to win me over), going outside of the tried-and-true shows you’re paying attention. Keep it small but relevant, affordable but thoughtful. The kind of gift that makes a person say things like, “But how did you know?”
With this, and savored time during visits (or, you know, returning home from a 2-week trip), you’ve got the key to a romance with many future Valentine’s Day celebrations!
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