Beyond Romance: A Valentine's Love Letter to My Children

 

This Valentine’s Day finds me in a quieter house, but never a quieter heart. The meaning of this day has evolved, deepening in its roots as it has stretched in its reach. It is no longer about crayon cards and classroom parties, but about a love that has grown up alongside you—my three grown children. It is a day to honor a love that is no less fierce, but has matured into a profound and steady force: the unwavering love for the remarkable adults you have become.

The phrase “I love you to the moon and back” has journeyed with us. The distance it describes feels more poignant now, as your own lives have taken you on orbits of your own. Yet, its truth is more powerful than ever.

To the moon and back is no longer just a measure of my devotion, but a testament to its resilience. It is the love that launched you into the world and then stretched across countries and continents, or simply across the chasm of different adult lives, to hold you still. It has traveled through triumphs I cheered from afar and challenges I ached to fix but could only support. It is a love that has learned to hold on by letting go.

For each of you, my grown children, the phrase now holds a new, richer meaning.

For my driven pathfinder, “to the moon and back” means: My love was the launchpad. It is still the constant signal in your ear, believing in you when you doubt yourself. It travels the long miles to your door and the even longer emotional distances, always finding its way home to you.

For my compassionate heart, it means: My love mirrors your deep empathy. It has expanded with your capacity to care for others. It is the soft, safe space you can return to when the world asks too much of your gentle spirit. It goes the distance to remind you to nurture yourself, too.

And for my creative spirit, it means: My love has watched you paint your own sky. It marvels at the constellations you create. It is the unwavering audience to your ever-evolving story, a love that traverses any creative block or life detour, forever inspired by the person you are.

This Valentine’s Day, It is in the remembered detail of your lives, the pride that swells at a texted accomplishment, the unwavering faith I hold in your journeys. It is in the quiet hope that you feel this tethered connection, no matter how far you roam.

The truest meaning of Valentine’s is not a romantic spark, but an enduring flame. It is the love that time has tested, distance has stretched, and growth has only strengthened. It is the quiet, proud love of watching your children become your favorite people.

So, to my three extraordinary adults: my love for you is not a relic of childhood. It is a living, breathing force. It has weathered seasons and celebrated your blossoming. And it continues, without fail, to travel to the moon and back. And back again. For all your days and mine.

Much love,

Mama