Do you know the most powerful emotion that humans experience? In this episode, Jimmy interviews Lori Few about some of her favorite memories (and humorous times) that relate to Valentine’s Day.
Episode Keys:
- Lori’s worst gift received on Valentine’s Day!
- Jimmy’s secret to surprizing his wife on this special day.
- Why its important to share your love and respect with your loved ones to enhance their lives as well as your own.
- How love can heal terminally ill patients and how it stymies doctors as to its healing power.
- Why its important to laugh at yourself on this holiday!
Podcast Transcription:
JW:
Today is more special than any episode we’ve ever produced on Live a Life By Design. This is a day unlike any other day, except for some greatness that’s about to come out that you are loyal subscribers and listeners will be excited to hear. And I think it’ll just brighten your day. One of the greatest, most powerful emotions can bring nations together, heal terminal illnesses, leaving doctors puzzled as to what happened and is more valuable than earthly wealth. And yes, that emotion is celebrated today. That emotion is love. Today I have as my special guest, someone that is an expert on the topic of this episode today. My guest today, please welcome Lori “the Love Bug” Few. Welcome, Lori!
LF:
Woo. Good morning. Listen. I love that. I love that new title. Love Bug.
JW:
Well, we’ve ordered some business cards for, you’re gonna say that on there. So I think that we, you can pass those at your meetings. I’m sure it’ll draw some attention.
LF:
Yes, I love it. I mean, think about it L-O-R-I, which is how you spell my name is also L-O-V-E so it’s kind of close!
JW:
Well, I don’t wanna burst her bubble folks, but I’ve seen what her name has been on. Some of the Starbucks cups and L O R I is not what I’ve read. They don’t ever get it right. And it’s so hard to spell with four letters, but we’re, I digress. I digress. Lori, today, it’s an honor to have you here. I gosh, who would’ve thought our Episode 151 would end on Valentine’s Day.
LF:
I think it’s meant to be. It’s perfect. It’s a good Monday morning. It’s a holiday. Everybody should feel the love today.
JW:
You know, today I feel like we’re gonna have this situation where COVID you had to wear this little color. Like if I wanted purple, I want you to distance from me or, you know, red don’t touch me or anything. I think what you’re gonna see today is gonna be hearts. Not anything else. Just hearts on everybody. Everybody’s so tired of all the distancing and, and all this messed up. We’re just gonna see hugs today in a very safe way. I hope for everyone out there. But I’ve got a few questions to ask you today, Lori.
LF:
Oh.
JW:
That’s the response. I was hoping.
LF:
Okay, here we go. This is –
JW:
Yeah. This is an unusual topic for a podcast at Live a Life By Design. But what is life I ask you, Lori, if you don’t have love, come on. What, what does, what does this day mean to Lori “the Love Bug” Few?
LF:
You know, I think this day, the evolution of this day, your lifetime, I think is really interesting. Now that I’m obviously a little bit older and I have a child of my own and I’ve been married for, well, I mean, I’ve been married for a while, but I’m very young, so –
JW:
Still a newly wed.
LF:
In terms of Valentine’s Day, you know, when we were little, it was about our parents and our classmates and the cute cards that we would make or the notes that we would write to each other. And as that has evolved and progressed, I think Valentine’s Day for me is a day of remembrance, a day of being mind, how we love and why we love and who we love.
JW:
Ooh, that was, that was far more serious than I anticipated. Okay. That was very good. Very good. Is it, is it true? And let’s talk a little bit about the foundings of the, the foundation of Valentine’s Day. Cause it’s actually Saint Valentine’s Day is a technical name of the holiday. Is it true? And I’m asking, cause I don’t really know, but I’ve heard you’re an expert on, on the topic of love. So here it goes. Is it true? That St. Valentine was kind of a weird dude that ran around naked, but he shot people with arrows.
LF:
Oh, is it, is that the same? I dunno.
JW:
I get them mixed up. I think they’re from the, the same family. I don’t know, but I,
LF:
I don’t. OK. Listen, no one, no one should be running around half clothes shooting anyone with anything.
JW:
I agree with that. How about this? How about it was created though by a wonderful company that is making its billions selling hallmark cards. I think that’s where this came from.
LF:
We missed a boat, Jimmy, we should have, we should have created the greeting card industry. We would be so set.
JW:
So, you know, this thing comes out right and early on Monday morning and it happens to be, as I said, Valentine’s Day. So what did you, you know, get at your husband for Valentine’s Day?
LF:
Oh, I have to be honest. I’m a bit of a, a sentimental romantic type. And I can’t take credit. I can’t take credit for the idea, but several years ago I saw a Pinterest board. Cuz we all love Pinterest. We all get our ideas and juices going by looking at, you know, seeing what other people are doing,
JW:
Who doesn’t, I mean, come on.
LF:
Right? I’m terrible at it. Like I cannot craft, I cannot bake. I cannot do all these things, but I love to watch other people, but I saw a pin or a board if you will, of a woman that took simple pieces of paper and she cut them out into hearts. And for the first 14 days of February, she would write down all the reasons on the heart, why she loved to appreciated her child, her spouse. And so I kind of took that and I’ve done it the last several years. So every day I do a heart starting on February. First of you know, a a thank you or a reason why I love you or a reason why I appreciate you. And so that is my gift. Every year I have kind of gotten away from the traditional buying something because I find that this to me is much more sentimental and much more thoughtful. They’re just little slips of paper with ink on them. But to me they’re really important. So that’s, that’s my guess this
JW:
Year and the reason why they’re so well received. I know, but your husband is because there’s like you said, it’s thoughtfulness. It took some personal time. Creativity. It’s not something you go buy a card and put, you know, your name in the card that someone else wrote with their words and emotions and feelings. Right,
LF:
Right. It’s important to express, especially in the last couple of years, it’s really important to tell the people that you love, the people that you appreciate, the people that you see or communicate with, tell them how much they mean to you. It’s not always gonna be positive or happy when you talk to them or tell them something. But really I think that’s the thing that we’ve learned is that we have to talk to each other and we have to tell each other, don’t wait. There’s never, never a, a bad time to tell someone, Hey, I appreciate you. Hey, I, you know, I love you. Thank you for what you do.
JW:
Yeah. It may not get the chance. Right. We’re never guaranteed tomorrow, but I’ve got something to tell you that I do. It’s a little bit more risk a and I’m gonna take it to the edge, but I’m not jumping over. So here’s what I do. I go to a local florist every Valentine’s Day and I or the day before actually, and I get red rose pedals, I mean, big, big bag of like a gallon Ziploc bag of these rose petals. And yo yeah. Only been married 34 years. Tina and I are two in our, if you will, honeymoon years, if you will. So anyway, what I do when my wife’s not home, I create a trail of those red pebbles of this.
LF:
Okay. Hang on Jimmy. This is a g-rated show.
JW:
Yeah. So I know what you you’re saying, but Hey, you know, we own this, the airwaves or ours today. So what I do is I create this path down through the, you know, the living area and our bedroom’s on the far west side of the house. So I go to the east, I don’t go to the bedroom. You people get your minds outta the gutter. What I do is I lead it all the way in to the, and I stop there and I leave a note, well written that says what I would like for dinner, honey is, and then I leave. No, I’m just kidding.
LF:
Like wait a
JW:
Second. No, no, no. Hang on. Let me tell you what I do do though. You’re gonna laugh, but it’s real serious to me is I’m a note writer. Most of you, people listen to this podcast. Know I love to write and send a lot of cards, notes, so forth. And I like to write my own. So I buy these blank cards, Lori, I know you’re a card send as well, but I buy these blank ones. It may have my name on ’em stuff, but I wanna write the content. I oh, always write such a mushy yet sincere note to my wife every year that it almost brings her to tears because what I’m only doing is reflecting the big R respect. And I always write in there why I appreciate her with the weak moments she had in 1987 to yes. Say I do under duress
LF:
That one moment of weakness.
JW:
One moment of weakness when I was on one knee and I just got her convinced. But you know, I always like to write my own note at this time of year. And, and I will say this to you too. She does such thoughtful things all year round, but that one day to me is the culmination of all years, activities, thoughts, and, and time spent together. And we get to have just a few moments. A matter of fact, I typically take her out to a nice quiet dinner during COVID don’t laugh. We cooked her own dinner last year. So, so we wouldn’t have to get out with people. And it was great. You know, I mean, I mean, how much harm can you do to a heat up pizza in the microwave, but Hey, you know, it was good.
LF:
Oh, gourmet pizza in the oven.
JW:
Now let me ask you a couple of questions as are, are people want, hear these straight from your mouth being Lori, the love, but, and here we go. One of the more serious questions, what is the most embarrassing gift you’ve received on Valentine’s Day from either your current husband or a Bo or friend or sister or whatever in your lifetime?
LF:
Oh, the most embarrassing. Hmm. Okay. Well
JW:
Embarrassing. I mean clean, embarrassing.
LF:
No, no, no. I, oh goodness. I would have to say in college I dated this guy, not my husband. But dated this guy who was terrible at giving gifts. And I probably that should have been a red flag, but I mean, it was, yeah. He actually forgot. It was Valentine’s Day and I, we met up and I gave him his gift and he looked at me and very confused as to what was going on and then realized, oh, Hey, it’s Valentines. And bring me back bar and hands it to me. And you sweet. And I just
JW:
Remember thinking, oh
LF:
Yeah. I, I just remember thinking at the time be nice and be gracious and then later call your girlfriends and tell them what epic failure your Valentine’s Day was.
JW:
So what I wanna know next, my follow up question to that for this young man. How did he get the chocolate bar out of his death? Noil after you shoved it up there from him bringing such a horrible,
LF:
Yeah, it was a kit cat. I don’t even like Kit-Kat.
JW:
Wow. For shame who doesn’t like, you know, caramel, nice candy coating. I mean, come on chocolate. A wafer bar. I mean, come on.
LF:
Yeah. I think my face probably said it all.
JW:
I bet it did. I bet it did. I gotta tell you. I have truck app many times on this Valentine’s with my beloved wife and she so graciously accepts whatever it is, but she’ll say, you know, we might just have the receipt. Right? You still have the receipts. Yes. See that’s graciousness right there. Do you still have the
LF:
Receipt? That absolutely. Yes. You definitely learned that. And receipts are important.
JW:
So I got a Valentine. My most embarrassing a Valentine one year came from someone totally unexpected. It came from my mother and dad, believe it or not. I’m a man. My parents gave me a Valentine that just kind of flies in the face of all of humanity in my opinion. But anyway, I mean, testosterone does not get Valentine’s. It gives Valentine’s to his parents. Right. So anyway, I opened this package up thinking, oh my goodness is gonna be the normal little. They used to gimme like little boxes of like box chocolates or something, you know, chocolate cherries or chocolate caramels, just, you know, small, a small box. So I’m ripping in this thing and it is a box and I’m thinking, wow, that’s kind of different for this year for chocolate. And I open it up and I hold up a pair of Oxford shorts with hearts all over ’em when it’s fight. And my wife said, I thought this would look good on you. So I told your, your mom and dad and they bought it instead of me. And I said, oh, joy. That really looks.
LF:
That is awesome.
JW:
No, it’s not. It’s awesome.
LF:
It ‘s great that mom, I want, I wanna be that mom later, like when my son is married and his wife calls me and says, I need you to buy this.
JW:
It’s pretty funny, but I gotta be honest with you. I like my iron man underwear story at the dermatologist better. That was a whole lot more fun learn these things. But anyway, that’s my most embarrassing story. So, so let me ask you this. What is the most wonderful gift that you’ve given your husband or Bo or family or whoever in your lifetime, what’s the most wonderful gift you’ve given?
LF:
Well if, if it’s a gift, obviously, I mean, I am the gift. I give every day, so to my husband. So that’s very important.
JW:
Folks. You heard it right here. Modesty in action today here from Lori Love bug. Yes. You already –
LF:
We opened the door there.
JW:
Well, I teed it up pretty softball too. I’m glad you hit it outta park there. So yes. Yeah.
LF:
But, but in all fairness probably the best gift. I think that I I’ve ever given it was early in our marriage and we hadn’t been married very long. And one of the very first movies that we ever saw together when we were dating was a movie called the notebook, which is based on the bestselling novel by Nicholas Parks. And I absolutely fell in love with that movie at the time that, that when we saw it together and I thought, wow, you know, this is one of our first dates and this is a really special movie and it was super mushy. And, but fast forward, you know, early on into our marriage and we had kind of bridge the subject about, you know, having kids and when we were gonna have kids or if we were gonna have kids. And I said to my husband, I said, you know, if we ever decide that we’re gonna have a kid and it’s a boy, I want to name him Noah, because I absolutely love the Cal character, a Calhoun from the movie, which is played by James Barner. Who’s a fellow Oklahoman. And I wrote that in a card to him and gave him a copy of the D V D back then, because we didn’t have streaming services. And so I would say that’s probably my most romantic Valentine’s gift that I ever gave. And we were fortunate enough to be blessed. Several years later, we had our son and his name is Noah. So,
JW:
You know, I gotta be Frank with you all these years. And your son’s now, is he 11, 12?
LF:
Well, going on 20.
JW:
Yeah, I, yeah. Oh, yes. That happens. I, all these years thought it was purely a biblical name because Noah, I, you know, where did I miss out on this wonderful story you got here that just heart wrenching. And I’m thinking he named your kid after somebody plays in a boat anyway. So
LF:
Well, and, and funny too, because when he was, when he started school, people would say, you know, what’s your name? And he would say, well, my name is Noah. And they would say, oh, your name after from the Bible. And he would say yeah, the guy that built the boat. Yeah. But it’s also after some guy in a movie.
JW:
Yeah. That’s it? Yeah. James Garner. He’s from Oklahoma too, but we call him Noah. Yeah. That’s it. That’s so funny. That is a great one. Well, so let me ask you a couple of things. What is the most romantic location you’ve ever been for a Valentine’s Day event.
LF:
Location, location? Oh…
JW:
Hmm. Like, have you, you and, and your Justin or, or previous family members anybody ever been like on a romantic island and the island was called Fiji or something like that? I really wanna go to Fiji, but anyway, we,
LF:
Me too, put me in your suitcase if you go. Cause I’m sure you’ll go before I do. Well probably the most romantic place for Valentine’s Day. We were in Vegas one year, we, we did take a trip to Las Vegas. It was my birthday’s in November. Justin’s birthday is in January. And so we didn’t do anything that year. And then we decided we were gonna go to Vegas in February. And we were actually in Paris, if you will, on Valentine’s Day. And we ate at the top of the Eiffel tower in the restaurant. And so that was probably the most romantic Paris France for real is on my bucket. But that was probably the closest I’ve gotten to real French experience. And it was pretty romantic. They had live music and they, the waiter walked around with long stem roses and, you know, he was giving those out. So yeah, it was very romantic that year. That’s probably the most romantic.
JW:
Wow. Well, I will tell you, cuz my wife, wife and I took our daughters when our older daughter was 16. So like 10 years ago two Paris France and we did it, it Le Verne in the apple tower and it is everything I’m about to describe utterly heaven on earth for food and service. It was outstanding. Now the picture risk view from the entire 360 degrees, you can see a out changes, lighted color at night cause they change the apple towers, lights. They just change color every 15 to 30 minutes and really cool. Really cool, but my most romantic if you will location for my wife and I you’re gonna laugh was actually at a pizza place,
LF:
Eats the place
JW:
We were just dating. So we started dating February the 19th of 1983. So the next year, our first official Valentine’s Day together, I been the young stud muffin I am from being the college, came in during the week, cuz it landed during the week, drove all the way back home and I took her to eat ends pizza. Yes you folks. That’s one of the most romantic places that hot goy cheese, some cold drinks in front of us that were not alcohol. Cause we were underage and at the end of the day you throw a little Parmesan on, are you folks getting it too? I mean’s racing right here. So
LF:
Yeah, I’m already thinking about lunch it’s breakfast.
JW:
So there’s some other romantic parts, but that one to me really stuck in my mind. I said, baby, we’re gonna have a hot night. Did she let no? It was a pizza. Cause that’s where we went. It was fantastic
LF:
Pizza for the win.
JW:
I gotta tell you folks, I’m not gonna tell you the real romantic stuff on this thing. I can promise you.
LF:
Oh no, you have to. We’re completely transparent here.
JW:
Okay. Well let me give you a little story. You know, my stories are all true and I’m not embellishing, but my two daughters to me are just the, the angels on earth to me. And they’re just beautiful, smart, talented girls. Anyway, when they were little, I would have Cupid. If you will, air quotes, Cupid would send them Valentine’s on Valentine’s Day. And they would have clues as to where they had to go to find the ultimate Valentine’s gift that their mother had purchased. She did all the work. I really didn’t do much. I just did the notes and I’ll tell you what they had to go to four or five locations throughout the house to find, find their ultimate gift fun. And well it is, but I’ll never forget Gabrielle. Wasn’t very old. She was like five. Maybe. I can’t remember. She wasn’t very old though. And I’ll never forget her comment. She said this Cupid guy. He’s a lot of work.
LF:
Yes.
JW:
So tell me my kids are spoiled. I can take it. But that’s a true story. It was so funny. Whew. This stupid, guy’s a lot of work, but they always loved their gift. And I always thought that was fun. Let’s talk to some, that’s fun. Let’s talk to just a little bit about I’ve heard people that have been ill and I mean seriously ill terminally ill recover. You read these stories now. I don’t know people I read about ’em you recover from this based on the fact that someone that they love so dearly, a family member, a son long departed, and finally came home and they got to see them. And they recovered from this illness and doctors were simply aghast. What happened? What changed? How are you doing this? Why are you alive? Have you ever heard of these kinds of stories?
LF:
I, yeah, I have particularly in the news, I think that, you know, that’s, when you hear them, you hear about ’em all across the nation. People that have been in coma for years that magically, you know, wake up after having a family member or someone come and visit or loved them one it’s amazing to me that we, and I, I feel like we tend to underestimate the power of love and affection. We, so oftentimes we talk about it and we nonchalantly say, I love you or, you know, I like you, but in situations like that, I think that that, that higher power, higher being however you believe love, I feel like factors into that. And so I think it’s absolutely possible. I mean, we, we want to believe the best and the good in the world and that the human connection is the ultimate end all be all of that’s, what everybody needs.
LF:
That’s what we seek. That’s what we desire. We want one to care about us, to check on us, to love us, to be with us. And certainly in the last two years with all the situations of COVID where thank goodness we’ve had technology because when families were separated at a time where they weren’t allowed to go in, or they weren’t allowed to be in the same room or building, we were able to news reports of people actually turning it around via iPad. I mean, or iPhone, where they could actually physically see someone’s face on a tablet and what an amazing feat, what an amazing attribute to the world that we live in, that we’re able to use love even through technology, to see, to hear people and say things to them like this very podcast this morning. I mean, if, if you’re listening to this podcast and you’re hearing us talk about these things know that there is someone out there that is thinking about you and, and that loves you. I mean, it’s Valentine’s Day and today is a special day and we’re talking about it, but it’s every single day. And I think that’s what makes the human connection so powerful, even in situations where doctors are dumbfounded.
JW:
Oh man, that is powerful. That’s a good, good story as well. Last question I have for you, Laura, and we’re gonna wrap this up for this week, but my first thought was when I wanted to ask this question, well, no, I shouldn’t ask it, but I’m going to, if you could change just one thing about Valentine’s data, make it your ultimate holiday of holidays from what you’ve experienced in the past, what would that be? Would that be like Justin, like maybe, I don’t know, like a Ladin riding an elephant into the house or coming to the yard. I mean, anything big like that?
LF:
No way, no way. Hands down. If I, if I change Valentine’s Day in way and I get, do anything… Anything?
JW:
Anything!
LF:
Ok, I mean, this is going to sound crazy, but free coffee for everyone on Valentine’s Day.
JW:
You know, one thing about Lori folks is she, when you say, think outside the box, she presses right up against that edge. Don’t she shes right?
LF:
The biggest, the biggest hottest or ice, whatever it is that you drink, prefer, you should just be able to walk in and say, it’s Valentine’s Day. And I’m here for my free cup of happiness and joy.
JW:
Well, I have something for you that I want you to give Justin my dear friend on this special day of Valentine’s, you know, Easter bunnies deliver at Easter. So all I got him was a costume. I want him to wear at Easter. If he could kind of similar to that boy with the red rider Christmas, I’d like to see him wear that to help the neighborhood there. But what I wanted him to wear were some wings. I got him a big diaper to put on and I got him, you know, like a bow arrow thing that shoots a little plastic arrows. You think maybe I could talk my buddy into wearing that just for some photo op,
LF:
I think he would do anything for you. And he’s always, he’s always a good sport. You know, we, we talk about, we talk about Justin and Dena a lot on the podcast, how they are our better haves and they do make us better people. And we laugh and we tease at their expense that they are a huge part of the, of the way. They’re a huge reason that we are able to do what we do because we couldn’t do it without their love and support. So, oh,
JW:
You, that was the best statement on Valentine’s right. That may have saved my entire day here on Valentine’s date for my wife to hear you say that. So,
LF:
But, but Justin, if Justin’s gonna wear the cubic costume, he has to bring coffee.
JW:
Oh yes, yes. Coffee. Yes. We might have to dip your arrow in some kind of caffeine before he shoot you with it maybe or something like that. Yes,
LF:
Absolutely. I’d be okay with that.
JW:
Any last words, Lori Love Bug Few, anything to do with Valentine’s?
LF:
I think just tell people it’s, like I said earlier, don’t take any moment for granted. Write it down, text it, email it, mail it in a card, scream it from the rooftops. Just make sure that the people that you love know that you love them and, and say it often, not just today, but say it, say it often every day.
JW:
That is outstanding advice. Folks as our challenge this week from our special guest. And let me tell you, she put the special in special guest. I can assure you that go hug your spouse, significant other friend, family member, whoever, and let’s spread some love around the world today by doing so you will be changing the world for the better. So go ahead and live life by design. We’ll see you next week.
