Diary Installment 24: An optimistic person, a small business, and a mom. This is my diary of sharing, in hopes that we create a sense of community and stick together through this unimaginable time.
Isn’t it funny how polarizing Valentine’s Day can be? As long as I can remember, you would hear people proclaim “I hate Valentine’s Day” as soon as the subject came up.
Hold Up.
HATE? VALENTINE’S DAY?
You know me well enough by know by now that I love hearts (I find them everywhere), I think I exude ALL love languages, I want to spoil everyone I love with small and extravagant gifts, I love pretty and cute heart undergarments, I want jewelry to symbolize LOVE and lust and adoration…I am in love with love and believe in its powers. Gah! Don’t throw-up I know it’s a lot but, it’s all true.
The question is…was I born this way or is it a learned behavior 😂. And if you are not this way…how can I convert you!?!
Do you remember (and I know you do), in grade school you would get the shoebox and decorate it. THAT is what hooked me. Finding an old shoe box in the back of the closet, cutting the slit in the top. Covering it in colored construction paper and then decorating. Stickers. Cut our hearts. Drawing hearts and writing my name in script on the top. I loved love loved making that desktop mailbox. Just as much, I loved writing and addressing each Valentine. At the Episcopal Day School in Augusta, GA there were 25ish kids in my class and you ‘had’ to have a valentine for each person. But of course you did! Everyone is included in this heart party! We didn’t really do candy with our cards then, but my Mom would take me to the local Kings Hill Pharmacy, and I would pick out the cartoon character valentine I liked best as well as…drumroll…southern college pencils! The boy I adored loved Clemson, so I saved that pencil for him. I gave away a LOT of UGA pencils, taped to the top of the small card with care.
After the big card exchange, I would bring my box home and go through every single card at least 3 times. Loved every second. Just to make it all MORE, when I was in 6th grade my Mom was the ‘class Mom’ and she was there for the Valentine’s Day party. This boy I like named Charles Marks asked me to GO WITH HIM at the party. Of course I said yes. Everyone told my Mom, and I was embarrassed but also loved it - it was fun 😍.
MANY years later when I married my first husband, we had a formal black-tie wedding on a snowy evening in Boston on – you guessed it – Valentine’s Day. Although that marriage didn’t work (nervous laugh), and I was shattered, I did not give up on love. I actually dreamt of having the kind of relationship that you see every once in a while where the couple truly adores each other. And I don’t know if manifesting is true, but I got that. I didn’t marry my second (best!) husband Mr. Jane Win on Valentine’s Day but we certainly celebrate every year – like he didn’t know what hit him.
And listen! Valentine’s Day isn’t just for lovers! When all 5 kids were home, we would have a big Valentine’s Day party with little presents for everyone, cake, wishing papers lit on fire and a table filled with flowers and candy. I know my girls won’t read this so I can tell you, I have made them the prettiest 14k gold heart bracelets that we will all wear. I have sent candy to our favorite factories in LA and Rhode Island. I just want everyone to have a little love.
Soooooo, it only makes sense that I have a company that creates jewelry with meaning behind each piece and a full assortment of HEARTS. I want everyone to celebrate. And this year. Ugh it makes me cry. We have all been through so much we should just have fun and eat chocolate and buy our friends flowers and share LOVE. If I could give you all a Valentine I would.
Sending tons of love, xx Janie
IF you have some time, please forward this email to a friend 😊 we want to share the love!
