Candy hearts are capture America’s hearts every year on Valentine’s Day. Children create crafts for their loved ones with the sweet phrases, adults smile at childhood candy heart memories, and lovers share the messages in their simplicity. They are so basic, so Valentine’s Day, and so sweet — simplistic and thoughtful at the same time.
The candy heart conundrum is found in the fragility of this candy. Every bag of hearts is guaranteed to have broken pieces. Some hearts are sweeter than others, some are tart, and some have messages that are illegible, yet they are all the same heart.
So too are we. Our hearts are fragile and their sweetness is expressed in the simplest of actions and in the simplest of thoughts. In reflecting upon the nature of our tender hearts, so too should we remember how a few simple words can change someone else’s heart and subsequently their life as well. Be kind to yourself, be kind to others, and share your sweetness. Know that sometimes your heart will be broken (or disappointed), but the true sweetness of it can never be taken away.