Adventures of a Flexitarian: A Very Vegan Valentine’s Day
I have to admit I was never into Valentine’s Day until I met my husband. Since we’ve been together, he’s always gone out of his way to make sure I feel special. There was no request too big, not even this year when I decided to change things.
“What do you want for Valentine’s Day?” asked my husband.
“Chocolate covered strawberries and I want to make them myself!” I replied.
His eyes widened. His mind circled around the words “strawberries”... “make them myself”. In years past he would have easily logged on to a website and ordered the most delicate arrangement of delicious small chocolate coated berries. Finally he broke the silence with one word.
“Why?” he inquired puzzled.
“Because I want to make sure they are vegan,” I said. “Also it could be fun”.
He was still staring at me. I’m sure his mind raced back to memories, over nearly 15 years of us on Valentine’s Day. There was the year we sat in a booth eating sushi at 2:00am. The year we ate calamari at the most quaint restaurant, only to retire home to watch Love & Basketball on DVD... yikes, we’re old. And of course the life changing experience of sharing our first “Fantasia Garden”, a medley of: persimmon, pear, plum, and apple pieces with delicate fruit chips on a beautiful rice roll.
However, this time would the pattern of spectacular Valentine’s Days be broken because I requested strawberries... in the winter... in Denver... of all places?
“Where are am I supposed to find strawberries?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” I said. “Sprouts, I guess”.
“Ok. Let’s get in the car,” he said.
As we drive around, the need for these strawberries dissipated. Tunes from a jazz playlist filled the car with an amorous ambience and I was reminded of how this man transformed me. His hand was resting on the gear shift. I reached over and grabbed it. He looked at me with a twinkle in his eye, a smile spread on his face. Over ten years in marriage and two kids later, he still gives me butterflies. I got lost in the moment and forgot why we ventured away from home. We pulled up to the Sprouts and my memory was suddenly jogged.
“Babe, are you going to get out?” he asked. I snapped out of my trance.
“Yes. I’ll be back,” I said.
I opened the door to the car and got out so he could park. He knows me well and anticipated I’d take my time. I shop in grocery stores like most women shop for shoes. I checkout every aisle and leave with more than I intended to purchase. This was different though, I just wanted to get back to my best friend. I quickly made my way to the strawberries, stopping to grab some tomatoes on the way because old habits are hard to break. I made my purchase and left the store. I opened the car door and my husband looks at me.
“That was fast,” he remarked.
“Yeah in and out,” I said.
Valentine’s Day with him was never about things, it’s always been about the love. The love I share with this person I decided to make my last boyfriend and of course, chocolate covered strawberries don’t hurt too.