Today the sentimental among us celebrate Sweetest Day, a day created by confectioners with several unconfirmed origin stories. The one I choose to believe tells a tale of a candy company employee who wanted to bring a little sweetness to the “forgotten” in his community. So he, along with a few helpers, distributed candy to his town’s orphans and those confined to their homes. It was sweetness at its best.
So how did we arrive at the second Valentine’s Day that the day has become for many? No offense to the devoted, but a day for couples is a far cry from reaching out to the forgotten among you…unless you forgot your significant other…in which case I hope you remembered your Sweetest Day card.
I’m not going to tell you how to celebrate Sweetest Day, the greeting card industry has taken care of that. But wouldn’t it be nice if we reclaimed the holiday and brought it back to its (probably true) roots? This past year has brought to light the forgotten in our nation (some real, some imagined), but the need to notice the people around us and recognize their unique experiences has never been more clear. So Happy Sweetest Day to you all. Here’s hoping it’s a day to remember.
…bi-daily smile…
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