Happy Valentine's Day!

My grandmother's treasure box holds poems, letters, postcards -- and Valentines from the early 1900s. They're still beautiful today. Love endures.

My enduring Valentine's Day wish for you? Love yourself. Appreciate your gifts. Treasure your life. And if the world doesn't send you flowers, buy your own.

Happy Valentine's Day!

(Thanks to Leslie for the photo!)

Honoring Ayelet

A friend on Facebook posted a link to this column about Ayelet Galena, a little girl whose fight for life captured the attention of thousands of people and led many to register as potential bone marrow donors.

I hadn't heard about Ayelet -- I noticed the Facebook story because I've been on the bone marrow donor registry for years. Simple truth: With all the data inputs we receive every day, we hone in on topics that relate to us personally.

The column, a tribute Eleanor Goldberg wrote after Ayelet's death this week, is beautiful. I encourage you to read it, to register as a bone marrow donor, and to appreciate that life is a gift. Here's an excerpt:

Ayelet's grandfather remarked in his eulogy of the absence of words to describe the tragedy of his granddaughter's death. There's a term for a child who loses his parents, a husband who loses a wife. There is no word in the English language to describe what it is for a parent to lose a child.

Creativity Tips: Avoid Shiny Objects

This just makes me laugh, because it's so true and so me. I would credit someone for the poster/doodle, but I found it on Pinterest and have no idea how you trace it back to the source ...

The lesson here: If you're like me and have a project with a demanding deadline, avoid shiny objects at all cost. Ready to focus? Good for you! Hop to it. (Sorry. Couldn't resist. FYI, Pinterest is my definition of a shiny object. Time-warp extraordinaire. Very fun.)

Creativity Tips: Write a Special Valentine

February brings one of my favorite holidays -- I love Valentine's Day. Sure, it's gone a bit commercial, but we don't have to fall into that rut. You know why? Because we're starting early! We're not waiting until Feb. 13 and running to the nearest Hallmark store to choose from picked-over cards. Heck, no! We're creating our own.

If your Valentine is written in snow on a Bug, you're all set -- assuming you have snow. And a Bug. If you have something a bit more formal in mind, I can help. For advice on how to write a Valentine, look here. I covered that last year. This year, I'm focusing on audience rather than message. (Oooh. That's romantic. Sorry. Slipped into PR business mode for a minute. Let me get my Valentine mojo back. La dah dee dah dee dah ... my funny Valentine ... OK. I'm back. Thank you for your patience.)

For this Valentine's Day, go beyond the usual. In addition to writing* notes to your beloved, your family, your friends, consider people who have truly changed your life for the better -- people who might not be aware of how much they mean to you. It could be a minister who always takes time to listen. A yoga instructor who opens your heart with upward-facing dog. The librarian who consistently recommends books you love.

Now, create a Valentine to tell them -- briefly and sincerely -- what they've done that has helped you and how much you appreciate it.

Is it that simple? Yes. While we humans have a tendency to complicate things, declarations of love, of thanks, of appreciation, can be beautifully simple -- a wink, a smile, a hug. And, this month, a Valentine!

*You're absolutely right. Valentines don't have to be written. They can be food, drawings, photographs, handmade lovelies. But when you're trying to tell someone what they mean to you, words are wonderful.