Ah, it’s that time of year once again—the day in the dead of winter when couples snuggle up and celebrate their undying love. Or at the very least, exchange chocolate, flowers and Hallmark cards. Yes, it’s Valentine’s Day, and whether you’re in a happy relationship or feel “forever alone,” there’s one symbol you can’t avoid seeing: all those pink and red hearts.
If you look up where the graphic came from, you’ll discover some scandalous theories about its origin. Personally, I prefer to believe, as one Wikipedia author wrote, that the symbol may have arisen from “the shape made by swans’ necks in a courting ritual.” Regardless, it’s not just greeting-card companies or candy-heart confectioners that use this image to represent love. As we’ve seen throughout the years of publishing Mysterious Ways stories, sometimes a heart can pop up in the most unexpected places, seemingly out of nowhere, just in time to make a powerful impact.
In our December/January issue of Mysterious Ways, we featured a photo taken by Jan Mahan outside her home in North Richland Hills, Texas, a few winters ago. On the first anniversary of her husband Carl’s death, just before Valentine’s Day, a huge snowstorm hit, a rarity where she lives. She stepped outside to take pictures, thinking about Carl the entire time. Later, looking through the snapshots with her daughter, they spied something odd in the snow directly in front of their driveway. “Mom, don’t you see?” the daughter said. “They’re hearts. A valentine from Dad.”
Reader Betty Schlenker of Ellendale, North Dakota, read the story and sent us a letter: “Did I ever do a double take when I turned to page 33,” she wrote. “Enclosed are the hearts I saw out the back window of our shop one morning.”
The hearts appeared right before Valentine’s Day. And they were in the right place. Betty’s shop? She’s a florist.
You can read (and hear) some of our favorite “heart”-felt Mysterious Ways here:
The Shape of a Heart (narrated by Edward Grinnan)
A Heart-Shaped Sign of a Champion
Have your own “heart” story? Or an incredible story about the unlikely way you met the love of your life? Send your story to us!
