For the February issue of The OC Gazette, we drew a coloring contest in which the kids could interact and write their own Valentine’s message. The responses we received from these clever Orange County kids amazed and delighted us. Here’s a sampling for you:
5 year-old Patrick wrote: “I love you secret admirer and can’t wait to find out who you are! Love, Patrick.” This guy must be the Casanova of his Kindergarten yard.
“I LOVE MY FLAME,” writes 5 year-old Dominic. His mother/translator transcribed below his message “I love my family.”
8 year-old Ellery is already a master of self promotion with a Valentine’s Message that acts as a dual case for her entitlement to the winning coloring contest’s $25 gift card to Border’s Books. “Happy Valentine’s day to you all. I hope you like my picture. I worked really hard. Love Ellery.”
6 year-old Alisha wrote: “To all the BRAVE kids with Leukemia, Here is a hug from me. Stay positive! LOVE Alisha.”
6 year-old Alice wrote her valentine to “The people in Haiti,” a very sweet and aware message for a 6 year-old.
Flag-waver Jenna, age 6, wrote in her Valentine’s message: “I love America!”
Quite a few of these clever kids wrote rather eloquent poems and turns of phrases.
Emily, age 7, wrote:
“Roses are red,
Though sometimes they’re pink.
And you’re very special,
That’s what I think!”
Katie, age 11, scribed a poem perfectly suited to the coloring contest image of a little girl squeezing her beloved cat:
“Kitties purr
I know for surr,
Except when hugged,
By a puppy pug!”
9 year-old Tazmeen wrote a sonnet that could level gaze with any of Shakespeare’s best lines:
“Love always makes it. It is true. Nothing will break it. Nothing will do.”
Karoline, age 12, has already grasped the life principle of “you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours.” She writes:
“Roses are red
Violets are blue
If you pick me
I’ll pick you.”
Maggie, a 9 year-old poet, should be picked up and placed at the head of Hallmark’s greeting card think tank. She writes:
“Chocolate hearts and candy kisses
Gifts given by Mr. and Mrs.
Love is what we celebrate
On February 14th,
My favorite date!
Cupid’s arrows take flight,
I hope I get a kiss tonight!”
Anne, 9 years old, wrote a Valentine’s message propagating health despite the flood of chocolate:
“Happy Valentines!
Don’t eat too much chocolate.
Eat how many?
Like 1.”
Orange County has it’s next tree-hugging, green-loving, champion for the environment growing up in its midst. 10 year-old Kaila writes:
“Hello, my name is Kaila. My message is to be nice, and show some love to the world. You and your friends could change the world into a better place. So all you can do is recycle, and if you see anyone litter just pick it up and you and your friends could make the world into a better place.”
Brooke, age eleven, has taken a line out of The Everly Brothers’ songbook. She writes simply: “Love Hurts.”
And finally, a dually funny message from Sierra, a girl of the self-proclaimed age of 5.5 years. Depending on you place the inflection, the message reads either as a message to the Big Guy:
“God, I hope you have a good V-Day.”
…Or, it reads as a hilariously sarcastic and exasperated Valentine's message:
“God I hope you have a good V-day.”
In conclusion, a lesson: take a cue from these kiddies and keep that childlike love and refreshingly blunt honesty alive.
Love long and prosper,
Jen
On my iPod: “She Came In Through The Bathroom Window” by Joe Cocker. Enjoy this rockin', soulful musical selection in the awesome and amateur home video below in which a Joe cocker portrait framed by dual lava lamps acts as the backdrop. Gotta love the Internet.
