An old friend called. He was forlorn. “I was looking forward to a Valentine piece last Sunday, and I was disappointed. Have you given up on the day of love and lovers? Has it lost its magic for you?”

And suddenly I realized that indeed, I wrote nothing in anticipation of Valentine’s Day.

Sorry to disappoint, dear friend. But too many things were happening. The truth is, I forgot to look at the calendar.

Time was when I coun­ted the days with bated breath, trying to guess if I would get flowers, or a card, or a box of Whitman’s chocolates. It was exciting.

Times have changed. And even the most romantic heart gets old and weary. But remembering always brings me joy. So while I still can, allow me to sit quietly on Valentine’s Day, or any day for that matter, close my eyes and smile while memories “light the corners of my mind.”

It has been a nerve-wracking couple of weeks. I have been trying to keep track of confirmed COVID-19 cases and the number of people still under scrutiny for symptoms. Are there more casualties? Are they quarantined? Are those released really virus-free? I hold my breath wondering if the numbers are abating. Sad to say that as of this writing, they are not.

I saw a video showing how Singapore has prepared to face this challenge. Their prime minister was on TV with vital updates. His tone was calm, his demeanor fatherly, and he spoke words of wisdom and encouragement. It was comforting. Such stunning leadership. I think I was envious. That night my prayers were a bit confused.

At the moment, there are too many dark clouds and it is difficult to find a silver lining. But I know it is there. I just keep telling myself, this too shall pass. Happy news

I got a virtual “save the date” notice for May 23. The hashtag read, “happily ever Aldridge.” Very clever!

Alyssa Davis will be married to Dalton Aldridge in Atlanta, Georgia. Alyssa is my granddaughter, the eldest child of my girl twin. She was born in Boca Raton, Florida, went to college in Las Vegas, and lives in Atlanta. She is an actress, a drama coach for children, stage director, choreographer and the sweetest young woman you will ever meet. Her smile will knock you off your feet. Her fiancé is a fine young ex-Marine, born and raised in Alabama. He manages a firm that dispatches emergency medical equipment.

They will be wed at the Payne Corley House, a beautifully restored 1873 farmhouse that stands on over four acres of land in Duluth. It has old-fashioned verandas and is surrounded by gigantic old trees. The place oozes with good ole Southern charm.

Here I go again. Lola is on the move. Another wedding. Another endless plane ride. Am I up to it? I surely aim to try. I only hope this nasty virus scare is gone before then. Otherwise, all bets are off. For this reason, I have not rushed to grab the great deals offered by some airlines. The situation is a bit too dicey right now. It would be reckless to make any long-term commitment. It is too early. On these “promos” you pay when you book, even if your departure is in the far future. You fly as scheduled or you lose every cent. You are allowed no changes. There are no refunds.

One would hope they might consider flexing a little for seniors. It is difficult enough for anyone my age to have anything set in stone. There are too many “what ifs.” But there is no escape clause. No way out.

Maybe this is their way of telling us we have no business traveling at our age. Someone told me that to my face not too long ago. But hey, I have selective deafness. I went anyway.

Walkway

The season of Lent is almost upon us. It begins on Feb. 26, Ash Wednesday, and 40 days later, we celebrate Resurrection Sunday. Time is flying.

Preparations for “Walkway: Journey to the Cross of Christ” are under way. The Holy Week event, which was first staged over a decade ago, is presented by Without Walls Ministries. It opens on April 5 and runs until Easter Sunday, on April 12. The route starts at Fully Booked in Bonifacio High Street all the way to One Bonifacio High Street Mall by the Shangri-La at the Fort in Bonifacio Global City.

“Walkway” consists of 14 interactive art installations depicting Stations of the Cross. This year, a coloring book will be gi­ven to each child of kindergarten age up to Grade 3. It will serve as a passport, to be stamped at every station they visit.

“Walkway” ends on Easter Sunday with a free concert headlined by Martin Nievera at the Amphitheater.

As we go to press

Many things are up in the air. The virus. The treaty. The franchise. People are angry. We are anxious. Emotional.

But on the eve of Valentine’s Day, I received gorgeous purple orchids from Lucas and Javi. Such a joy! A true respite from the stress.

Then I went to a Valentine’s concert! No, I don’t have a review. Except that I saw my favorite people on stage. The old love songs made me weepy. And the floodgates opened.

Goodbye, mascara.

But all is well. These were happy tears.