۲۶-۰۳-۹۴، ۰۲:۳۴ ب.ظ
[BLOCKQUOTE]Ann,a friend of mine, disliked Valentine's Day as a girl. She was plain –not ugly, but not beautiful. Valentine's Day is not kind to plain girls. It wasn't so bad in elementary school, when the obligatory thirty valentinesarrived: one from each classmate. She overlooked the fact that her cardswere not oversized like those of the popular girls, and did not contain the lovenotes like those of the pretty girls. But later, in middle school, thevalentine exchange was no longer mandatory. Just when the yearning forromance budded, when the desire for admiration and flirtation became imperative,and a valentine was needed most, no card arrived. Not for Ann. Notfor plain girls anywhere. Only for the pretty and the popular. Atsuch a time, stories of ugly ducklings that will one day turn into beautifulswans do not assuage the hurt and rejection.
As fate would haveit (and often does), in subsequent years Ann did become pretty and turned many aboy's head. As she received more attention and flirtations, she came tofeel – and therefore to be – very beautiful. But even years later,grown and with a family of her own, she did not forget those long-ago days ofrejection and dejection.
Today, Ann's familyincludes two boys in middle school. For a dollar, their Student Councilwill deliver a Valentine's Day carnation. Ann gives a dollar to each ofher boys to buy flowers for their girlfriends. Then she adds anotherdollar apiece with the instruction: "Pick another girl, one who isnice but plain – someone who probably won't get a flower. Send her aflower anonymously. That way she will know that someone cares, and shewill feel special."
Ann has done thisfor several years, spreading Valentine's Day a little beyond her own world.
One year, Laura,who was plain to behold but beautiful to know, received one of these gifts. Ann's son reported that Laura was so happy and surprised, she cried. Allday long, she carried the flower on her books and chattered with the other girlsabout who her admirer could be. As Ann heard the account, she too had todry her eyes -–for she remembered.[/BLOCKQUOTE]
As fate would haveit (and often does), in subsequent years Ann did become pretty and turned many aboy's head. As she received more attention and flirtations, she came tofeel – and therefore to be – very beautiful. But even years later,grown and with a family of her own, she did not forget those long-ago days ofrejection and dejection.
Today, Ann's familyincludes two boys in middle school. For a dollar, their Student Councilwill deliver a Valentine's Day carnation. Ann gives a dollar to each ofher boys to buy flowers for their girlfriends. Then she adds anotherdollar apiece with the instruction: "Pick another girl, one who isnice but plain – someone who probably won't get a flower. Send her aflower anonymously. That way she will know that someone cares, and shewill feel special."
Ann has done thisfor several years, spreading Valentine's Day a little beyond her own world.
One year, Laura,who was plain to behold but beautiful to know, received one of these gifts. Ann's son reported that Laura was so happy and surprised, she cried. Allday long, she carried the flower on her books and chattered with the other girlsabout who her admirer could be. As Ann heard the account, she too had todry her eyes -–for she remembered.[/BLOCKQUOTE]
و دیگر آسمان را نخواهی دید...
