It’s Valentines day. Contrary to a day typically associated with love, friendship, and good feelings, I woke up feeling grumpy, stuffed up, and way too sparky for my own good. It seemed a day destined to be one of those rare “Don’t Mess With the Nun” days.

I got to school and received my first Valentine as I was putting hot water into my oatmeal and the caffeinated elixir of goodness and life in my mug. I went upstairs to the library and did some work until the rest of the students began arriving a half hour later.

They arrived in their pinks and reds, professing their affection for one another up and down the hall. One of them returned a library book to me as I was walking down the hall with my mug of coffee. Another put a chocolate heart on top of the book. I popped into a classroom to give a message and a seventh grader noted, “You have a book, chocolate, coffee, and a pen!! What more could you ever want?”

I am still stuffed up, still a little too sparky, but not so grumpy anymore…

All it takes, sometimes, is a word or two. Or three. Happy Valentines Day.