The meaning of Valentine’s Day

“Happy Valentine’s Day Miss Stormy!!”

Donny said with all the excitement that a 9-year-old boy could possess… really, no one should be THAT excited over this stupid day.

“Happy Valentine’s Day Donny“

I said with a smile, as we made our usual lap around the hallways with Bella, the school therapy dog after all the other children had scurried off to their classrooms.

Donny was ATE UP with ADHD and had a mother at home who was

…. Otherwise distracted…

with her demons and five other boys in the mornings and would often send this child to school unmediated.

Now, I’m not going to be the first person to jump and say medicate your child…

But this one… this one required medication for him to simply focus in class without being kicked out. He was often unable to filter his thoughts without medication. His brutal honesty was a trait I appreciated about him, however… it could get out of hand quickly.

His teacher was very patient, but a human can only take so much, and Donny, unmediated, was MUCH!!!

Earlier in the year my team and I had worked very hard to advocate on Donny’s behalf to get his medication to the school so that he could take it as soon as getting off the bus, and we dedicated our first 30 minutes of the morning to keep his mind busy and his little butt out of trouble while giving his medication time to do what it does.

“Are you excited about our Valentine’s Day party? I am!! I’m so excited!! I love Valentine’s day“

His words came rapidly as his brain didn’t do well at one thought at a time.

Either I or my coworker often accompanied Donny in class when big events were happening as he did not handle change in routine too well. Today…. I was to sit in class and help redirect him if he were to get out of hand during the classroom party.

“Yes sir. I’m so glad I get to spend Valentine’s day with you.”

An hour later I found myself sitting in a child-sized chair, way too small for my adult-sized ass, that Donny had pulled right up next to him in the makeshift horseshoe shape that the classroom had created with their desks.

I was amazed as I looked around at the classroom.

Some children brought fucking Hallmark Valentine’s cards for their classmates.

Like… the $5 cards that only super special people in my life get.

Yea… those…for every child in the room.

Eccentrically decorated Valentine’s bags sat out on the desks in front of each student.

I was mentally transported back to the classroom parties I used to have in school. When you would dig through your Valentine cards the night before and assign all the “best” cards to your friends. You would find the ones that expressed loooove and write the cute boys’ names on those and then write everyone else’s names on whatever was leftover.

Those were the days.

“Donny, what kind of Valentine’s cards did you give to your class?”

I asked as I watched him sneak a peek into his bag that he had decorated with little pink and red hearts.

“Mom worked last night, so I didn’t get to go to the store”

He said as he looked at the floor.

“Anyone have a minute to run to the Dollar Store and grab a box of cards“

I pulled my phone out and sent a quick message to the group chat.

“OKKKAY class, It’s time to make your way to the snack table. Line up single file where the plates are and remember to leave enough for your classmates. “

Mrs. Turner said as she stood up and motioned the students toward the snack table.

“Ladies First“

Donny said, clapping his hands in excitement, and motioning toward the space in front of him.

“Thank you, sir“

I tipped my imaginary hat at him and we made our way toward the end of the line.

Donny waited patiently, which I was impressed with, as patience is NNOOOTTTT his strong suit. I told him how proud of him I was for being so courteous to his friends, and gave him a quick high five.

I was AMAZED at the snack table.

This was surely not the snack table we got to enjoy as children.

The whole table was filled with snacks that you would expect to find at a high-end bakery. Beautifully decorated cupcakes wrapped in plastic, tied with red ribbon.

Perfectly coated chocolate covered strawberries.

Cake pops, 15 different bags of chips and dips to accompany.

The whole works.

” Do you like that one kind of red cake as much as I do?”

He asked, pointing at the row of red velvet cupcakes at the back of the table as he licked his lips.

“How in the world did you know that was my favorite?”

He completed his plate by grabbing two cupcakes, one for him and for me, piling them on top of his chips.

As the class cleared their desks as instructed after devouring their snacks that would surely turn into a sugar high directly followed by a horrible crash and stomach aches that I was grateful for not having to deal with later, Donny got up and grabbed a trashcan, along with two of his peers. As they walked around the classroom, stopping at each student’s desk and collecting trash, I watched him laugh and play with his friends, high-fiving them.

He was having such a good time…. Until he got to Samuel’s desk.

My heart began to pick up speed, I just knew he was going to follow through with the usual threats to punch Sam in the throat.

Sam had issues of his own. Classroom behaviors that could be blamed on environmental issues.

Samuel was Donny’s “Arch Nemesis ” I frequently heard about disruptions in class involving the two boys bickering back in forth, at the worst possible times.

I kept my eyes on the exchange, ready to spring into action if need be.

I watched as Donny put the trash can down and put both hands in the front pocket of his hoodie.

I was waiting for it….

He looked up, gave a quick glance around the room and his eyes met mine.

I shot him a quick look as to say “Dooon’t do it!!”

At that moment he pulled his hands out of his hoodie and placed a hand-cut heart-shaped piece of paper with writing on it on the desk in front of Sam. He smiled real big and laughed a little before returning the trashcan to Mrs. Turner and taking his seat.

It warmed my heart so much to see.

I just smiled at him.

Patted him on the back and said “Good job buddy” as I watched him dump his Valentine’s cards out on the table in front of us.

I watched him smile to himself and laugh as he opens each card. Read them to himself and made sure to thank each friend, personally, after reading them.

Occasionally he would point at a word and I’d help him sound it out.

We went through his entire bag doing this.

He sorted out the candy that he liked and the candy he didn’t that he didn’t like deciding he would let his 5 brothers at home fight over.

I chuckled as he explained that the oldest of the other 5 would end up with all of it because he would make sure of it.

Donny got up, without a word and walked to Mrs. Turner’s desk.

As he spoke to her she looked up at me and smiled before pulling the top drawer of her desk open, pulling out a sharpie, and handing it to him.

Minutes later he was back at his desk.

He took his seat and pulled out a package of fruit snacks that I had watched him put in his pocket earlier.

He simply looked at me and said “I didn’t want you to feel left out. It’s Valentine’s Day, and you’re my friend.”

He placed the fruit snacks on the table in front of me.

I fought back the urge to ugly cry as my heart practically exploded with gratitude as I read what he had written on the shiny package

“Miss Stormy- I love you”

On that day, I learned the true meaning of Valentine’s day and my heart softened a little more.

I watched as this 9-year-old boy showed so much love and compassion to his classmates. His teacher. And to me.

Everything around him was a representation of what I had grown to hate about this day… people went over the top with the “Things”

But not Donny.

He simply just loved.

Happy Valentines Day my friends.

I LOVE you!!