It’s Valentine’s Day! The day to celebrate those we love. Today we set aside our busy schedules and make time for a gesture to demonstrate our feelings for those we wouldn’t want to live without. It can be big, expensive, and complicated, or it can be simple and small. What matters is that it comes from the heart.

I hope each of you have someone special to celebrate this day with. Maybe that someone is a family member, friend, of a bit of both. Maybe you’ve known then for years and maybe you’ve just met. Maybe they are four-legged and covered in fur, two-legged and covered in feathers, or no-legged and covered in scales. Whoever they may be, make sure you show them some extra love today.

I have many Valentines this year and I’m letting them know how important they are. First there are my mommy and daddy. I love them and I show them this with snuggles. They love me which they show by snuggling back, taking care of me every day, and the giant pink and red caterpillar they got me for Valentine’s Day.

I love my giant caterpillar. He’s huge! Much bigger than me! He’s stuffed with fluff and fuzzy on the outside. Of course he’s red and pink because what colours would you make a Valentine’s Day caterpillar? He has a silly face and two antenna that are fun to play with.

Next on my list of Valentines are our two cats. I’m not sure they love me yet but I’m sure that I’ll win them over with time. I giggle at them, talk to them, and smile when they’re around. I try to give them snuggles but they refuse to allow themselves to be touched by me. Maybe they need some time to get to know me a little better.

Our relationship needs a bit of work. Maybe their feelings towards me are indifference at best of times, but I love them. They are furry, quick on their feet, and they eat the bits of chicken I drop on the floor. Maybe they’re not ready to love me back yet, but I still want to include them in my list of Valentines.

Next on the list are our fish. We have three of them. One is a really big one, another is pink, and a third is the tidy one that cleans up the tank. I like to watch them and they seem to enjoy watching me back. They swim right up to me when I’m nearby. Sometimes they splash me with water too.

I’ve been trying to snuggle our fish but I haven’t been successful yet. At first I couldn’t figure out a way to get my hands through the glass that divides us. Then I realized that you can’t go through, you have to go around. More strategy and less brute strength.

There is an opening at the top of their glass box and I’ve been trying to get my arms in there. Mommy and daddy stop me from reaching in for some reason. Unfortunately I’m too short to reach up there myself. I need their help to lift me and they notice when I try to get in there. Of course that doesn’t stop me from trying.

Next on the list are all the family and friends that come to visit me. I’m putting them all together because in all honesty, sometimes I don’t remember who’s who. When they come over I know I’ve seen them before but I forget the details. In my mind they blur into a group that I simply identify as the visitors.

They may be a mashed up blur of people, but I still like their visits. They pay attention to me and each one of them seems very impressed by all of the skills that I’m always willing to demonstrate. All of them like to play with me and sometimes they even bring me presents. If one or two of them stopped coming I might not notice, but I would be sad if all of the visitors disappeared. That’s why they deserve a space on my list of Valentines.

There’s just one more spot on my list of Valentines for this year. The last space on the list is very special. This spot is reserved for someone who has listened to my complaints, celebrated my victories, and allowed me to vent all of my thoughts and ideas.

It’s you! I just wanted to make sure that you knew how happy I am that you are here, that you are important to me, and that you matter. Thank you for being you.

Happy Valentine’s Day!