Valentine's Day

While many in the blogosphere see Valentine's Day as an opportunity for a very loud "Bah Humbug!," I'd like to take the chance to celebrate -- but not the grand romantic gestures, the roses, the teddybears holding balloons. No, for me, it's all about the small moments in a relationship. The cup of tea that my father has made every morning for my mother for the past 40 years. My sister getting up at 4 am to drive her fiance up to Nottingham because he'd hurt his ankle -- despite her never having driven on a motorway before. It's for every couple that says please and thank you to their partner, even if -- especially if -- they're alone.

For me, it's the phone call. Those of you with partners who travel a lot on business will know what I mean, but for the rest, let me explain. It's the phone call PJ makes every time he gets off a flight to let me know he's arrived safely. It might be a call after a short trip to London or an SMS at 2 am when he's arrived in LA. It doesn't matter: I need that call before I can continue with my day or get to sleep. In fact, it's such an instinct for him know that I can see him reaching for his phone even when I'm traveling with him. And if that's not worthy of celebration, I don't know what is.