She received flowers from her dead husband for Valentine's Day

So it was really only a matter of time before someone came along and performed the ultimate grand romantic gesture: A display of affection so over-the-top that any attempt to surpass it would be predestined to fail, thereby rendering any effort pointless and all other gestures subpar.

Case in point: This tale of love after death from Sue Johnston of Houston, Texas.

    My Sweet husband, John, and I were married for 46 years. Each Valentine's Day, he'd send me the most beautiful flowers containing a note with five simple words: 'My love for you grows.' Four children, 46 bouquets and a lifetime of love were his legacy to me when he passed away two years ago.

    On my first Valentine's Day alone, 10 months after I lost him, I was shocked to receive a gorgeous bouquet addressed to me...from John. Angry and heartbroken, I called the florist to say there had been a mistake. The florist replied, 'No, ma'am, it's not a mistake. Before he passed away, your husband prepaid for many years and asked us to guarantee that you'd continue getting bouquets every Valentine's Day.' With my heart in my throat, I hung up the phone and read the attached card. It said, 'My love for you is eternal.'

In other words, not only did John ensure that his romantic gesture would be the grandest — he also ensured it would remain so for the rest of recorded time.