To the editor: 

It’s Valentine’s Day and hearts and pithy messages are everywhere. It is a day for romance and for love. And the Edmonds Neighborhood Action Coalition (ENAC) hopes this Valentine’s Day is a day for caring and community building. 

Of course, none of us loves every other individual in our community. Maybe not even most of them. But we can be empathic, sensitive, and caring to every individual. We can lift each other up, rather than shut each other out.

We can be welcoming and inclusive, and we can try to understand each other better when we disagree.

The recent weather brought us snow and ice, but also warmth from seeing our neighbors play together on the snowy hills and work together to dig each other out, share information, volunteer at the cold weather shelter and lend a helping hand. Let’s continue this spirit, building love and sowing compassion with every action we take.

One of my favorite candy heart sayings is “you and me” For an Edmonds kind of Valentine’s Day, let’s say you and you and you and you and you and you and you…and me, too. Be the big-hearted child you once were. Give a valentine to everyone in the class. Be a true neighbor, Valentine.  

Happy Valentines Day,

Susan Kostick, ENAC member