What’s a man to do?

Last night, Shannon was telling me of all the things the husbands of her lady facebook friends were doing for valentine’s day. She specifically addressed how things have escalated to such a ridiculous degree. Men are spending hundreds and close to a thousand dollars on various creative ways to show the lady in his life that they care. She said to me, “You poor men. What are you going to have to do next?”

The trouble with a holiday like valentine’s day is that it is a false measuring stick. Anybody with a job or source of cash can buy flowers, candy and dinner. Understand, I am not opposed to any of those things. But if those are the things we look to to determine true love and worth, we have been duped.

For valentine’s day, I promise to love Shannon forever. I promise to stick by her side through the good times and the bad. I promise to help her through the troubles and struggles of life. I promise to be present in our life, for her needs and for our kids. I promise to put them all first in all things. I promise to be available any time the need arises.

I even promise to buy the occasional flowers, candy and dinners. And I promise to never use them for masquerading my failure to do all the other stuff.