Love Week Finale -- A V-day memory

Four years ago, I was coming out of a funk. I'd been dealing with something awful at work and I was in a crying-every-day, seeing-a-therapist-for-a-couple-of-months depression. My friend Alberta invited me to come to our stake's adult Valentine's Dinner Dance with her and her husband and an elderly single sister from our ward. I'd gone with them the year before so it was our new tradition to go together. Valentine's Day isn't necessarily the most fun day ever when you don't have a Valentine. But going to this activity isn't so bad as a single girl because we visit with friends, enjoy the dinner and then leave before the dancing really gets going. The youth from our stake are usually the waiters and waitresses and it's generally a nice night.

Not long ago, I blogged about Greg, a recently returned missionary whom I adore. Greg was one of the waiters at this event. Normally the waiters leave as soon as the dinner is done because teenagers would rather be anywhere than with a gym full of adults on a Saturday night. Well, that was not the case this year. Greg and some of his friends were also part of the upcoming stake production of "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers." They were loving being on stage so they offered to sing a number from the show before the dancing started. They sang "Sobbin Women," soaked in the applause and then the DJ got the music going for the dancing.

I was visiting with my friends when I heard Greg's voice over the noise in the cultural hall. He was still onstage with a microphone in his hand and he's looking across the crowd to where I'm sitting. He said "I'd like to dedicate this song to Sister Shaw and ask her if she'd please dance with me?" Then, that cheesy Celine Dion song "Because You Loved Me" started playing and he came running off the stage to give me his arm and lead me onto the dance floor. We danced a bit and then the other boys started pulling the "May I" bit from "Seven Brides" and they all proceeded to cut in, one by one. Later that night, I hugged Greg's mom and thanked her again for raising such a sweet and thoughtful son who wasn't one bit embarrassed to dance with someone old enough to be his aunt (ha.)

So I will go to the activity tonight, surround myself with married couples and try not to feel too conspicuously single. When the music starts and we get ready to leave, I'll smile at the memory of a sweet 17 year old kid who helped to give me a lovely Valentine's Day. I hope all of YOU have a wonderful day, however you're celebrating.

Love, love, love...
Jeanelle