Joe Martinez, Ed.D., is a Doctor of Curriculum & Technology, a U.S. Military Veteran, and a native of San Benito.
With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, I couldn’t help but remind everyone what it truly means to care for and love someone or something so dear to our hearts that we use such a powerful word as “love.”
Don’t squander that word away for fear of failure; grasp it, hold on to it, and cherish the moment!
I remember returning home from the Gulf War with an enormous love for someone I thought would last forever, but we went our separate ways. I’m still single, and she’s married. I wish her the best in life and love.
But now I have another love. It’s for this city of ours. It needs nourishment and, yes, love to bring it back to its glory days. Here is how everyone can pitch in to make her the best little city in the Valley, and perhaps in Texas.
Our city needs tax dollars, and this Valentine’s Day, there are many places to visit, shop, or celebrate locally with a loved one to show you genuinely care. There are also numerous restaurants across our small city, including Mexican, barbecue, fish, and American restaurants, all ready to welcome your patronage this Valentine’s Day.
Please don’t export your wealth to Harlingen or Brownsville, as they don’t need the tax funds as much as we do.
Our city needs those funds to provide social services for our community, improve our schools, and provide better educational resources for students.
By buying locally, you help businesses stay in operation, which in turn creates more local jobs for our community.
If you don’t feel like going out in our great little city, you can shop at our local HEB or Walmart for supplies to either prepare a ready-to-eat meal with your loved one, with all the trimmings to your liking, in the convenience of your home, or prepare a meal from scratch.
Either way, it would make a strong statement about how genuinely you care, enough to prepare a meal by hand.
There are also many places to buy flowers, chocolates, and cakes. Yes, HEB delivers to your home. How great is that?
If dining out or eating at home isn’t your thing for celebrating Valentine’s Day, there is always a day out at one of our lovely parks. You can take a nice-sized blanket and have a picnic, or enjoy the breeze and quiet, giving you ample time to converse affectionately with your loved one.
What I really love about this city is that small-town feel you can only find in movies nowadays. If you wake up early enough, or whenever it really gets dark outside, you can drive down Sam Houston Street or Business 77 and see some of the old lighting our city still has, which gives it a warm glow and a nostalgic feel.
It truly is a time capsule in that sense.
This past weekend, I noticed two new shops on downtown Robertson Street. One of the stores is called Twist and Tales; it is a cozy bookstore where you can find the latest bestsellers.
They also offer coffee in the back if you so choose. My brother bought a charming book for his friend for Valentine’s Day. It came beautifully wrapped, and he says it is a book that will be cherished.
The other business is a custom print shop where you can have t-shirts, coffee mugs, and other items imprinted with whatever you desire.
This can all be attributed to the city’s excellent promotion of market days. Entrepreneurs willing to take a chance on our city are beginning to realize that San Benito offers opportunities for businesses to flourish, but it takes all of us to support them; they can’t be in business without our patronage.
So, if you love this city as I do, support it, even if it means standing in line for a few minutes or visiting two or three stores to find that one precious item for your loved one. It takes all of us to bring our city back to its glory days, and yes, it takes LOVE!
Have a Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone, and love our city by supporting it and buying local.
That way, you can also tell your loved one it came “From San Benito, with Love!”
1 comment
Man, this guy has found himself a platform that will publish his drivel and he is just full of himself…a legend in his own mind! Audie Murphy, now there was a REAL hero. Get over it cowboy. Take off that silly-*ss hat!