When I think of Valentine’s Day, I remember the excitement of elementary school.  Selecting the perfect Valentine for each of my friends, crafting a creative and beautiful Valentines Day box, and reading the messages on candy hearts.  I found myself looking for Valentines reminiscent of my elementary years.  No luck at the regular discount stores – but Hooray for Amazon!  I selected some vintage valentines and they are on the way!

The results:  Well, things often don’t go our way, and it’s up to us to decide how it will affect us.  I knew that I was already ordering the valentines a little late to get them to my family and friends by Valentine’s Day.  I would have to get them in the mail quickly.  Unfortunately, they did not arrive when they were supposed to be delivered.  I checked the tracking number, and it said they had been delivered.  I hoped there was some sort of mistake, perhaps they had been placed in a neighbor’s mailbox or would just be late.  I told myself I should give them a couple of days before reporting them missing.  The next day – a man was standing on my front porch with a package!  He was from the neighborhood next to mine and had found the package in the road.  Yeah!  I thanked him and brought the box in….. only to find it empty!  I now knew I would need to fill out a claim, but did I want to give up?  to get a refund?  have them delivered and save them for next year?  or just send them out late?  I decided I still wanted them, and when they arrived the second time – they were so cute!  I regained my enthusiasm to send them out, even if they would be late.  I have just placed them in the mail, and in a few days I hope my family and friends will enjoy receiving the late Valentine surprise as much as I have enjoyed selecting and sending the cards.

It is our choice to decide how to handle life’s bumps in the road.  I could dwell on the fact that the package didn’t arrive, and there was no way to have the cards arrive on Valentine’s Day, and I would have to have my money refunded.  Or I could focus on the fact that a stranger took the time to pick up what might have been trash on the side of the road and bring it to me.  (When I thanked him, he just replied he hoped someone would do the same thing for him!)  I also was lucky to reach a very helpful customer service representative when I filed the claim – he had the valentine’s rushed overnight!  Plus the vintage valentine’s were just as cute as I thought they would be!  Now – they will arrive a little late, but I suspect my little, nieces, nephew, Mom, Grandmother, sisters, and friends will still enjoy the surprise they receive in the mail.  It did not go as planned, but it still brings me joy!