Sweet Memories

I was an only child, so when special days came along, my dad often included me in his generous gift-giving when remembering my mom.  Such was the case with Valentine's Day.  If Mom received a big heart-shaped box of candy, I received a miniature version.  On Easter, he would give Mom a lovely, big corsage featuring an Easter lily and I would get a smaller, little-girl version.  My dad had such a  compassionate heart.  If he saw a child who appeared to be going without, he wanted to jump right in and get a dress, a doll or something special for her.  Dad wasn't one to cry.  In fact, I don't know if I ever saw Dad cry but he was sensitive and loving.  As I experience my first Valentine's Day with both of my parents gone, the memories of their wonderful lives and their many caring gestures stay vividly alive in me.  I may just have to buy a little heart-shaped box of chocolates and eat them slowly, savoring the taste and the memory of my parents' bigger-than-life influence in my life.