Here’s another installment of the GAS - we drop American news like artisanal bread – with care, patience, and a touch of magic.

Here’s what we have for you today:

• It’s Valentine's Day, and My Spouse is Dead

• Special counsel describes Biden as ‘elderly man with a poor memory’ in eyebrow-raising report

• The Senate passes a $96,000,000,000 National Security aid bill without a cent for America…yes you read that right.

It’s Valentine's Day, and My Spouse is Dead

Love is amazing, isn’t it- the way your heart flutters when you see that special person, knowing you get to do life with them and loving all of it. Even the arguments and tears and moments you don’t really like one another - because you know you still love one another.

The private jokes only he gets

The little notes she leaves for you around the house

The way he playfully spanks you when you pass in the  hall

You loved seeing her pregnant belly grow

You still laugh remembering how he fumbled with the first diaper change

Or

You had such fun dreaming of the kids you’d have, the trips you’d take, the memories you thought you had more time to make.

But now that love feels like a cruel weapon instead of the most extraordinary gift.

All that joy, hope, and certainty has turned into agony, hopelessness, and fear.

And to make it worse- this week you are bombarded with Valentine’s Day pictures, ads, commercials, and the smiles on what feels like everyone’s face but yours.

I get it.

I have been there.

My husband Lou and I- we didn’t even celebrate Valentine’s Day. We thought it was a stupid made-up holiday driven by profit rather than love. Once or twice we made a stab at going out. But the ridiculously packed restaurants were the opposite of fun for us. So for us, it was our tradition of staying in and doing something that we could laugh over, that became special. But we did that on plenty of other days, too. 

So why was Valentine’s Day so hard, then, when I never cared about it before I was widowed?

Well, because I opted out by choice, not by  fate’s mandate, that’s why.

Because I never noticed the pain and loneliness in the eyes of my divorced friends, or thought twice about what it would be like for widows. 

Until I was a widow.

Grief is the greatest humility maker, isn’t it.

Part of me wishes I could sprinkle some fairy dust on you and take away all the pain that is amplified this week.

And part of me is glad I cannot.

Because as cruel, and sharp, and vicious as that pain may be, it is carving a whole new path for you. 

A path that holds such exquisite beauty, and strength, and wisdom that you will one day step into, and experience life with more intensity than you can possibly imagine right now.

You will stop letting the small upsets feel large.

You will feel moments rather than exist in them.

You will savor the memories that once haunted you.

You will be even better at love and in love.

You will be kinder, yet unafraid to set boundaries in your life.

You will not waste time even when you are doing nothing in particular.

I could go on, but this might already be a lot for you to believe. So I will leave you with a wish that you find extra peace and strength this week. That you allow love to warm your hurting heart - if not love for another person, then love for your life, for the person in the mirror, for the love you lost in this life and the loves that are still to come. Remind yourself that you haven’t even met all the people who will love you, yet!

Let Cupid do his thing, while you do yours.

There is plenty of love left in your life, and love always wins.

Happy Valentines Day,

Barb Allen

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Was it as good for you as it was for us? Make sure you tell all your friends so they don’t miss out next week! 🇺🇸

Barb Allen & Dave Brown
www.greatamericansyndicate.com