This is the third year that I’ve asked Ben to write a guest post for Valentine’s Day.
He’s always given me an easy, dude-approved recipe that a guy could use to impress his date, along with some tongue-in-cheek romantic advice to go along with it. (See: Balsamic Glazed Salmon and Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta.)
Until this year.
When Ben emailed me what he’d like to share for his guest post, I was both incredibly surprised and incredibly touched. If you need me, I’ll be listening to these songs on repeat. Love you too, Ben.
By Ben:
I have a confession: despite Erin’s attempts to convince you otherwise, I’m not the romance savant I used to be. When we first started dating, it seemed as though each week involved a multifaceted endeavor to woo her, always aspiring to be more elaborate and fanciful than before.
Now, nine years into dating and marriage, those epic love-professions are admittedly fewer and farther between. More often, gestures of love come in the form of “I vacuumed out your car for you” and “Let me tackle the grocery list today for a change.”
The reality is, love changes—and for the better I believe. Behind are the days of college-aged infatuation, replaced with a deeper bond forged by confidence in what we mean to each other and trust that we’ll always have the other’s back.
Still, the proverbial butterflies are good for the soul. I never want Erin to forget what it feels like to have her heart skip a beat. The past few Valentine’s Days, I’ve surprised her in different ways with a burned CD (yes, we’re still children of the 90s at heart). Each CD includes songs I discovered while listening to Spotify while working at my firm’s office on the weekends (which is more often than I’d desire). The point, as I told her: “Even when we have to be apart, I’m thinking of you.” *Skip.*
I wanted to share with you this year’s Valentine’s Day playlist. I hope you enjoy these songs with your significant other as you do whatever keeps the butterflies in your lives.
Ben’s Valentine’s Day Playlist 2017
“Perfect Picture” – Carlos Bertonatti
“You and I” – Ingrid Michaelson
“I’d Rather Be With You” – Joshua Radin
“Here Comes Those Eyes” – Chris Rice
“I Want You Back” – Colbie Caillat
“Flapper Girl” – The Lumineers
“Parallel Universe” – Rachel Brown
“Out of My League” – Stephen Speaks
“Mess Is Mine” – Vance Joy
“Gotta Have You” – The Weepies
“All I Want Is You” – Tristan Prettyman
“One Picture” – Peter Bradley & Carla Werner
What a nice guy – I also have one of the good ones. Talk about something to be grateful for, huh? We are SO lucky.
Chris, I am so lucky to be reminded of that every single day. Glad you have a good one too :) Happy Valentine’s Day!
Maybe because we were older when we got married (mid 60s), my husband and I have never been into the real romantic kind of stuff that many couples like/want/need. The important part is that we each chose the right person, and our love gets deeper every year. Don’t know that I’ll get to listen to the songs on the playlist, but I very much appreciate what Ben wrote. I’m always happy when I know that other people have found the right mate. Happy Valentine’s day!
You’re absolutely right—the most important thing is that we chose the right person! Thank you so much, Susan. I hope you had a lovely Valentine’s Day!
So cute! Happy Valentine’s Day to you two!
Thanks Nicole!
Hey girl- great post! Ben did a really good job!
I think he did too! Thanks, Shawnna!