Last week I observed children picking out boxes of Valentines to exchange with their schoolmates and it took me back to grade school. Remember the excitement of those days before Feb. 14 — decorating your “mailbox” at school that sat on your desk, just waiting to be filled with a flurry of small white envelopes? Then opening them up at the party provided by room mothers, and going through the cards again that night at home — it was one of the most magical days of the school year (and I was always surprised at the number of envelopes addressed to “Coral,” but I liked them all the same).