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THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THuRSDAY, FEbRuARY 14, 2019
Sad Valentine’s Day memories
Dear Annie: Each Val- necessary to heal is incredible.
entine’s Day, I am filled with I’m not sure that you will ever
incredible sadness. Two years completely heal. My guess is
ago, my husband and I were that there was life before you
expecting our first baby girl. lost Valentine and there is now
Her due date was Valentine’s a sort of different understand-
Day, and we were
ing of life after her.
DEAR
so thrilled with love
You sound like an
ANNIE
and excitement at the
amazing mother, wife
arrival of our baby
and overall human
girl. Her name was
being. Thank you for
going to be Valentine.
sharing your story. As
best you can, try to let
Sad to say, Valen-
the love of your sweet
tine was born Feb. 14
Valentine fill you up.
as a stillbirth. It was
without a doubt the ANNIE LANE Her spirit remains with
Creators
you and your family.
most difficult day of
Syndicate Inc.
Your letter made me
my husband’s and
think of what the real
my lives. We have
since given birth to a beautiful meaning of love is. One of my
boy, who has brought us joy favorite poems comes to mind,
and hope, but we will never and I will share it with you.
forget our sweet Valentine. It is widely known as “Foot-
My husband and I have gone prints.” Its author has been
through lots of grief counsel- disputed:
One night I dreamed a
ing together, and it has helped
tremendously. But every Val- dream.
I was walking along the
entine’s Day serves as a
reminder. How can we move beach with my Lord. Across
past this? — Heartbroken on the dark sky flashed scenes
from my life. For each scene,
Valentine’s Day
Dear Heartbroken: I am so I noticed two sets of footprints
sorry for your loss. Words can- in the sand, one belonging to
not begin to do your grief jus- me and one to my Lord.
After the last scene of my
tice. The very fact that you and
your husband took the steps life flashed before me, I looked
back at the footprints in the
sand. I noticed that at many
times along the path of my life,
especially at the very lowest
and saddest times, there was
only one set of footprints. This
really troubled me, so I asked
the Lord about it.
”Lord, you said once I
decided to follow You, You’d
walk with me all the way. but I
noticed that during the saddest
and most troublesome times
of my life, there was only one
set of footprints. I don’t under-
stand why, when I needed You
the most, You would leave me.”
He whispered, “My pre-
cious child, I love you and will
never leave you, never, ever
during your trials and testings.
When you saw only one set of
footprints, it was then that I
carried you.”
I want to wish you and all of
my readers a very happy Val-
entine’s Day. Life is like a sail-
boat. Sometimes it is smooth
sailing, and sometimes the
weather is choppy and bumpy.
For you, my sweet mother,
Valentine’s Day will always
be a choppy one, but I hope
you can find a bit of comfort in
knowing that the love you feel
for baby Valentine is true love.
TOMORROW’S HOROSCOPE
By Holiday Mathis, Creators Syndicate Inc.
ARIES (March 21-April 19). You don’t just ride the
trends; you take the time to study and understand
them. And you have what it takes to start a trend
yourself. You’re more influential than you think.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You’re currently
unable to see how you’ve erected a barrier to your
own success, which is not a problem unique to
you. It’s a human thing. The view of an outsider
will be invaluable to getting a clear sightline and
a new plan.
GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Thoughts are myste-
rious. Some start inside you, some come from the
environment or the ether, all get vetted through
your belief system. Though most can be disre-
garded, at least one today should be cherished,
nurtured and planted.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). You don’t have to re-
invent yourself to totally change yourself. Adding
one habit is all it will take. Of course, adding hab-
its isn’t easy, though it can be simple if you keep it
small and make it compelling to repeat.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Be careful not
to see things as rules that aren’t really. Preferenc-
es, guidelines, the status quo ... these things are
not rules, so don’t give them so much credence
that it limits your ability to be creative and think
elastically.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You can afford to
be experimental in your approach to things, es-
pecially old and firmly established things. If your
idea doesn’t play, at least it makes the day more
notable. And if it does play, it’s beneficially so.
CANCER (June 22-July 22). You really do have
something to add to the conversation, but you’ll
probably hesitate, knowing that people just don’t
often listen to advice. Is there a way to show them
instead?
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You’ll run into
those who stubbornly persist, beyond all common
sense, with what’s not working. The heels will only
dig in further when challenged. Try walking away.
Sometimes the best help is to stay out of it.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). As for that corner of chaos
in your life, can you make a game out of it? Turn it
into a sport and suddenly the untamable energy
organizes itself into an order and maybe even
becomes fun.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). The thing that’s
not working for you isn’t working for anyone. It’s
just that you’re the one brave enough to point it
out. When one small thing about a relationship
changes, other adjustments happen to create a
bigger effect.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Talking about a thing
is one way to sort it out, but not always the best
way. Consider that communication is happening
on many levels; verbal may be the least of it.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Your great talents will
be improved upon by the challenges you put
them through. Your lesser abilities need more
care, nurturing and protection. To have stamina
in this game, you must know your strengths and
limits.
FRANK AND ERNEST
BLONDIE
THATABABY
SALLY FORTH
PHOEBE AND HER UNICORN
B.C.
LOLA
DILBERT
SIX CHIX
BIZARRO
MUTTS
NON SEQUITUR
BABY BLUES
WIZARD OF ID
ZITS
ROSE IS ROSE
TOMORROW’S BIRTHDAY (Feb. 15). You won’t so
much solve the problems as you will incorporate
them and make them work for you in the next
chapter. By May, you’ll already be crediting the
trouble for making you great and helping you
grow through overcoming, build over barriers
and recognize vividly who you already are, flaws
and all. Libra and Sagittarius adore you. Your lucky
numbers are: 39, 10, 6, 4 and 16.