A Happy Valentine's Day

This is my first Valentine's Day without Neal and I was a little afraid it would be tough. I could have focused on sweet memories of things Neal and I did in past years but I just never wanted to sit around and think about the past.
Leading up to today I have had lunch with a friend who is leaving town for a month and received some sweet treats and flowers from people in our ward.
Early this morning I was on the road with all the working folks in order to be on time for my Subaru's first "well-baby" checkup.  When I bought the car they scheduled a complimentary oil change and vehicle inspection for today.  They had even arranged for me to have a loaner car but I decided I'd just stay and read the paper while I waited because it was early enough that they didn't think it would take long.  I was just thinking about reading something else when they came back with my keys and said my car was ready.  They even washed it! 
I had only been home a short time when two friends dropped off a treat with a spiritual thought.  A friend called to check on me and we decided that being alone was going to be okay.  I spent a little time at a friend's house helping unwrap and trim all the white roses that had been shipped from Bogota for the YW fund-raising event.  I am allergic to roses but these were still mostly buds so their fragrance wasn't much of an issue and I did wear gloves.  By the time I was home I could tell I'd been around them because my head was stuffy and I had the aura for a migraine but the actual pain never happened.  Truly a blessing.
I dropped off Valentine treats and a spiritual thought to the sisters on our VT route then curled up on the couch to warm up and rest my head.  Another friend stopped by with a plate of treats - so many people had thought of me!  The head stuffiness and pressure went away shortly before a carload of girls delivered flowers and chocolates and a singing telegram for me.  But I didn't get roses like everyone else - they had been tipped off about my allergy so they brought me sweet pink and white carnations.  I love carnations - how they look and how they smell.  I had chocolate candies to give the girls who delivered them and sang to me.  I dropped off one more Valentine before heating some soup for supper.  All the kindness shown me today would certainly have been plenty of love but there was still one more surprise:  my doorbell rang but by the time I got to the door no one was there and I found a bag of Ghirardelli chocolates from an anonymous giver. 
It is not the same without my husband and I guess I could focus on that but it has been such a time of people showing their concern and care that I don't feel lonely.  I feel loved and know that the reason I am okay is because many people try to show kindness and reach out to others.  I need to do more of that too. Serving others is a way to overcome grief and receiving has made me aware of how we are all His hands in expressing tender mercies.