Victim or Victor?
Your parent abandoned, your sibling scolded,
Your coach blamed, or your lover betrayed.
Defend countless excuses to live as a victim or
Count blessings to evolve as the victor.
 
Lessons from hardships teach empathy and perseverance.
Victor emerges to dissolve fears and judgements.
Victor forgives the past to create consciously in the present,
As divine love within gives life through the heart.
Jean Neff Guthrie
How the Heart Knows
Ever wonder why some people advise, “Listen to your heart.” Perhaps a friend tells you, “The heart knows,” when making a difficult decision.

A Huffpost article explains the human heart "possesses a heart-brain composed of about 40,000 neurons that can sense, feel, learn and remember. The heart brain sends messages to the head brain about how the body feels."

Next time you face a challenge or decision, try closing your eyes and taking several deep breaths. Once calm, ask your question in a few words. Put your hand on your heart center and focus there. Listen for the answer.

Valentine's Day Afterward
Aria Vanir, secretly psychic protagonist in the Mystical Aria series, shares her diary entry from 2/20/2029 about what happens with her family and friends after Valentine’s Day.

Dear Diary,

What happens to the love after Valentine’s Day?

On Valentine’s Day, Mom and Dad go out to dinner unless Dad’s on a SEAL mission. Mom gets roses and chocolate unless she’s on a diet. Jackie, my big sister, sometimes gets Valentine’s Day cards but she hides them in her dresser and I find them—accidentally, of course—when I sneak into her room to wear her clothes while she’s at sports camp or away for the weekend.

Then, it stops. The next day, no more lovey-dovey. Mom and Dad sometimes fight over things I don’t understand. Jackie talks about how she’s so glad Valentine’s Day is over and wishes someone would extend football season so she’d have more interesting things to talk to boys about than who’s dating who or who’s breaking up before the school’s Valentine’s Day dance.