Love in Motion: Why Every Journey Can Be Valentine’s Day.
Valentine’s Day has a way of arriving with expectations. Flowers, dinner reservations, perfectly timed gestures—moments that are meant to symbolize love in a single day. But over the years, I’ve learned something far more meaningful: love is not meant to live on a calendar. It’s meant to be lived in motion. And for me, that motion has often looked like travel. There have been seasons in my marriage where life felt full—busy schedules, responsibilities, the quiet weight of everyday demands. And like many couples, we’ve had moments where we needed to reconnect, to remember why we chose each other in the first place. It wasn’t always a grand gesture that brought us back. Sometimes, it was simply stepping away, getting on a plane, and changing the scenery long enough to see each other clearly again.
Travel gave us space.
Space to talk without distractions. Space to laugh again. Space to be present in a way that everyday life doesn’t always allow. When you’re in a new place, something shifts. You notice more. You listen more. You soften. And in that space, love has room to breathe. I’ve come to understand that being someone’s Valentine is not about one Day of perfection—it’s about choosing each other, over and over again, in different seasons, in different places, and sometimes in the middle of unfamiliar territory. Travel has taught me that love doesn’t have to look polished to be powerful. It just has to be present.
This year, that truth showed up in a way that felt especially meaningful. We didn’t do the traditional flowers and candy. There were no expected gestures or predictable plans. Instead, my husband chose gifts that spoke directly to me—to what brings me joy, to what makes me feel seen. It wasn’t about what Valentine’s Day is supposed to look like. It was about understanding me. And that, to me, is love. It reminded me of the way we travel. We don’t just go places—we pay attention. We learn from each other. We notice what makes the other person light up. The small things become the big things. The thoughtful choices become the lasting memories. Because love is not found in what is expected, it’s found in what is intentional.
Some of our most meaningful moments didn’t happen on February 14th. They happened on long walks in cities we had never seen before, on quiet mornings with no agenda. On trips where things didn’t go as planned, but we learned how to navigate together. Those moments revealed something deeper than celebration—they revealed partnership. Travel has a way of showing you who you are as a couple. It strips away routine and puts you face-to-face with each other in real time, showing how you handle delays and make decisions, how you care for each other when you’re tired or stretched. It’s not always glamorous, but it is honest. And honesty, I’ve learned, is where real love grows.
There were times when travel wasn’t just a getaway—it was a lifeline. A reset. A reminder. It allowed us to step outside of whatever we were facing and choose connection again. Not because everything was perfect, but because we were willing. That willingness is what sustains love. So now, when I think about Valentine’s Day, I don’t think about a single moment. I think about all the moments we’ve created along the way. The shared experiences. The memories that belong only to us. The quiet understanding that has grown stronger with every journey we’ve taken together.
Love doesn’t need a holiday to be valid. It needs intention. And sometimes, the most beautiful way to nurture that intention is to go somewhere—together. To step outside of the ordinary and remember that your relationship is not just something to maintain, but something to experience. Travel has taught me that love is not found in perfect plans. It’s found in presence. In choosing each other, again and again, wherever you are in the world. Because when love is real, every Day can be Valentine’s Day.
If this message met you where you are, I invite you to stay connected.
👉 Join EbonyTravelers and travel with intention, awareness, and peace.
Because the journey isn’t just about where we go—it’s about how we move through the world.
