ComputerHunter.org |
|
|
|||
|
 |
A Valentines Day Story
Valentine's Day...the day of love right? Many years ago, 22 to be exact, I was a senior in high school. Just prior to Valentine's Day our student council representative got on the intercom during morning announcements and told us about an upcoming fundraiser. Student council was going to sell carnations for an entire week. It was further explained that there would be three colors available: red, pink, and white. Red was to signify love, pink said, "I really like you" and white was for friendship. The carnations could be ordered ahead of time but wouldn't be delivered until Valentine's Day during homeroom. The whole school buzzed with excitement over the prospect of it. Everyone discussed it but the girls couldn't contain themselves as they wondered which lucky girl would get the most red ones. Little snippets of conversations could be heard floating through the hallways: "I bet she will send some to him!" "I am going to send her six red ones!" "Do you think he will send one to me?" "I am going to get a white one for each of my friends." "Do you think he will send her a pink one or a red one?" "I wonder who will get the most?" The conversations continued in this manner until the first day of sales. On that particular day a certain group of girls started gossiping and acting cruel. I am sure you might be able to imagine the kind of girls I am talking about as they can be found in every high school across America. They view themselves as pretty, perfect and popular but in truth are very shallow and unhappy individuals. I had a feeling you would know what I meant! Anyway, these girls aimed their barbs towards another girl in our class. This girl was neither homely, nor attractive but she had such non-distinctive looks that she kind of just blended into her surroundings. In fact when I really think about it, nothing about her looks nor the way she acted warranted much attention. She was quiet and to my knowledge never said anything unkind about anyone. I knew she was a good student because I sat close enough to her in a few of my classes to notice that her papers were always branded with A's when they were handed back to her. In voices just loud enough to be heard, they mentioned this girl by name and joked that they knew for sure she wouldn't get a single flower. The girl just lowered her head and pretended not to hear but I knew she did. It broke my heart to witness their gross display of humor as they mocked her over and over that day and in fact, for the rest of the week. I toyed with the idea of sending the girl a white carnation but I must admit that I wasn't brave enough. I knew what they were doing was wrong but I didn't know what to do, so like everyone else, I did nothing. The big day finally arrived and I was excited as everyone else but a little nervous too. What if I didn't have a single carnation delivered to me during homeroom. I knew if that happened, I would die of embarrassment! I had ordered a white carnation for each of my friends and I was secretly hoping that they at least did the same for me. Of course there was a certain boy I was hoping to get one from too! That day we were told that the fundraiser was a huge success and that homeroom would need to be extended so all of the flowers could be delivered. Each member of the student council was armed with carnations and they roamed from room to room delivering the blooms. I chatted with my friend for what seemed like an eternity before our door was opened for the first time. We held a collective breath and exhaled in unison as only one flower was delivered, a white one for my homeroom teacher! The student council members continued to come in and out of our room. Our first big flower delivery was 4 carnations for a boy sitting to my right. I couldn't believe a boy was the first one in the room to get red! The carnations continued to trickle in. After receiving 3 white carnations and realizing I wouldn't have to die from embarrassment of not getting any, my attention was drawn to the girl next to me. You know the one I mean, the smart one that the other girls had harassed all week. She sat perfectly still with her hands folded in front of her on her desk. I wondered if I should lean over and give her one of my flowers but I didn't want to embarrass her. It was during these musings when I saw three red carnations being placed on her desk. She looked up and smiled but just continued to sit there; she didn't even reach out and touch them! I wasn't the only one that had noticed either; people were starting to whisper and point in her direction. I could tell the other girls were a bit jealous because not a single girl in the class had received more than one red carnation at this point. Then things really started to get wild. Each time a student council member came in, at least one of the carnations in their stack was for her and they were all red! At this point as best as I could tell, she had 7 red carnations stacked neatly on her desk. The class started getting a little rowdy and each time a red carnation was placed on her desk, we all cheered. OK, the boys cheered, the girls mostly just glared. I knew I was witnessing something great and I tried to seek out the "gossip girls" just to see their reactions to this unexpected twist of events. There were three of them in our class and two of them had a few pink and white carnations on their desk and the third had a handful of white ones. I was thrilled by what was happening but I had to also wonder who had sent her all of the carnations....did she have a secret admirer? My thoughts were interrupted by the crackle of the intercom and the voice of our principal wishing us a Happy Valentine's Day. He went on to explain that all of the carnations had been distributed and then in his long-winded manner, thanked the Student Council for a job well done. I heard a commotion behind me as one of the "gossip girls" got up out of her chair and ran out of the room. I heard later that one of the boys teased her about not getting any red carnations which made her start to cry. I didn't even feel bad for her as my attention was focused on the pile of red carnations sitting on the desk next to me. What I noticed next was the smile on the girl's face. It truly was a great day! I don't know for sure but I heard she was given 24 red carnations that day. We don't know who gave them to her but I am glad someone did. I will never forget her nor will I forget that day. Oh, I did fairly well too. I received a handful of white carnations and I got a special pink one. Yes, it was from a guy, not the guy I was secretly hoping to get one from but from a great friend of mine that was hoping to make my day special. And you know what? It was special! If you have been inspired by my story and would like to send flowers to a loved one this Valentine's day, please visit me at Valentine's Day Flowers Happy Valentine's Day! Candee Stark is a Reading Specialist in a local elementary school and has spent the last two and a half years earning her masters degree. Her new passion is her indoor herb garden. Visit her at Flowers & Garden if you would like to read more flower gardening articles.
Google News - Top Stories
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Ideas For Toddler Halloween Costumes Depending on the age of your little ones, you may want to keep ideas for toddler Halloween costumes on the simple side. Since most of the very youngest trick or treaters are only going out to amuse the grandparents and immediate neighbors, it needn't be terribly complicated to still bring a lot of smiles. Five Inexpensive Ways to Help Your Children Invest in Holiday Memories Christmas memories are never dependent on the amount of money spent or the popularity of the toy. Memories are made up of amount of heart invested and given. This year, let your children invest their time and hearts in making Christmas memories for your family. Wake Up ? Its Almost Fathers Day Father's Day is approaching fast. In the USA it falls on the third Sunday of June which this year is June 19th 2005. So if you start planning now, you still have time left to come up with the ideal gift for your Dad. And don't forget that Father's Day is the perfect day to honor other important men-folk in your life, not just your Dad. So don't forget your husband, your grandfather, your father-in-law, or a favorite uncle. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - How to Tap in to the Holiday Publicity Bonanza If your product or service can be given as a gift, a publicitywindfall awaits at the end of the year - but you need to startworking in June. Each December, media outlets cover the newest,the hottest and the most unusual Holiday gifts. The reportersassigned to develop these pieces typically depend on two sourcesof information: Cheap Christmas Gift Ideas Now that the biggest shopping season of the year is in full swing it might be a good time to create a holiday budget. I'm sure there are lots of names on your list, but hopefully you can find gifts that won't put a big dent in your pocketbook. I've come up with a few good ideas that might help. Celebrate Parks Day, Everyday this Summer! Canada's Parks Day falls on July 16'th this year. First celebrated in 1990, Parks Day is an opportunity for individuals to participate in hundreds of unique and fun events taking place in sites from coast to coast. Events are organized in national parks, national historic sites, provincial parks, and territorial parks, as well as in community and regional parks across the country. Importance of Thanksgiving Thanksgiving is the most important holiday of the year. Birthday Gift Guide A birthday gift is the opportunity to show your loved one precisely how much they mean to you and how special you think they are. Choosing A Great Gift For A Polar Bear Lover Do you know someone who is absolutely crazy about polar bears? Choosing a polar bear gift for a friend or loved one can be a lot of fun because there are so many choices out there, and luckily the price range is wide enough so that anyone can choose a great polar bear gift. The Origin of the Christmas Tree Have you ever wondered why we decorate a tree for Christmas? What sense does it make? We cut down a perfectly good tree, bring it in the house, decorate it with glass balls, twinkle lights, embarrassing arts and crafts from our youth and put a big star on top - why? No one knows for sure. But the Christmas tree does have a long, if not mythological, history. Top 5 Ways for an ADD Adult to Have a Happy Holiday Holidays have the potential to send an adult with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) into overload. Too many details to plan, kids to manage, and family to cope with can turn a good day into a stressful one. The following suggestion can help adults manage ADD during the holidays. Nicely Designed Pillows As Gifts Many of us are probably squeezing out our brains to the limit just for a single purpose, to think of what to give especially when it's Christmas or just a simple birthday present. It's always nice to give the jewelries, toys, clothes and shoes as we all had been used to of what to give. But haven't you realized that there is something much cheaper and more fantastic than clothes or jewelries? Yes, and those are pillows. Thriving Through the Holidays The holidays are upon us; a time of celebration and joy. I love the last days of November through the beginning of the New Year. The pure magic of the holidays is something that I anticipate and enjoy each and every year. Ready to Skip This Holiday? Why No Just Make It Your Own? Do you feel panicked, or exicted? Are you experiencing joy or depression? Do you have childlike visions of toys and celebration with the people you love? Or pressure, loneliness, alienation and annoying relatives? Christmas Gifts to Last a Lifetime Do you know what you are giving to the children on you Christmas list? Will it be Harry Potter books, the latest computer games, or some new clothes? Do It Yourself Gifts Sometimes gifts that you purchase are not as personalized as you would like. They do not quite seem to fit the idea you had in mind. For these times, the only thing to do is "do it yourself". You will have the gift exactly fitting the theme and the person that you want. 7 Tips on Giving Chocolates to Your Valentine Every year millions of people exchange chocolates on February 14th for Valentine's Day. This trend has grown very popular in recent times, especially with the rise of quality chocolates (...and the number of chocoholics). Still, even in these modern times there are a few things you need to consider before you run out and grab a chocolate gift. Christmas Gift Ideas Christmas is such a special day. It is a day of giving and receiving love, joy and happiness. The Christmas spirit is very pure; just like the immaculate conception of Mother Mary and the birth of Jesus Christ. By giving away Christmas gifts, an individual experiences the joys of giving. The best thing about Christmas gifts is that they need not cost the skies to make an impression. When gifts are exchanged on Christmas, all that matters is the amount of love with which it was made or purchased. Best way to do a Christmas shopping is to do it online. No need to rush about stores and malls. Just a few clicks of the mouse will do; your gifts are ready to be dispatched in no time at all. A Thankful Thanksgiving You may be wondering why I would call this article a Thankful Thanksgiving. Aren't all Thanksgivings Thankful? Unfortunately, no. As a person who has experienced over 70 Thanksgivings, I recognize that being thankful is something that we have to work at, even on Thanksgiving. Honor Mothers: Song Remembers Mom Forever In the spirit of Mother's Day, two songwriters are sharing with the world their lyrics to a song that commemorates and celebrates a mother's love.
|
|
|
|
|
