February 14th is Valentine's Day in the United States and other countries . It is the day to express love and warm feelings for those important people in our lives . So , today we will talk about an expression that is all about deep feelings – to pull at one's heartstrings . When something pulls at your heartstrings , it makes you feel strongly . It creates a deep well of emotion right in the center of your heart . Things that tug at our heartstrings also stir our feelings and emotions . They bring them to the surface . What kinds of things have this effect on us ? Well , that depends on who you are . If you love a well-told story , a well-written book can pull at your heartstrings . A friend of mine loves art . Once I saw her crying in front of a painting . The colors she said really tugged at her heartstrings . People who love movies can have their heartstrings pulled by a good film . I love music . So , for me , the right song or even the right notes will pull at my heartstrings . But we don't use this expression for all feelings . For example , anger is not an emotion that is connected to this expression . The feelings that are at play with this expression can be happy or sad . Usually those emotions are ones of love , longing or both . Sympathy , pity , or compassion are common emotions we think of when we hear the expression “pull at your heartstrings .” Public aid campaigns and commercials often try to tug at our heartstrings . Think of seeing a puppy left out in the cold , or an old married couple who can't pay for needed medication . Both of those examples try to tug at your heartstrings and your wallet as well . Now , let's talk about some notes on usage . The verbs we often use for this expression are pull , pluck , and tug . Sometimes you might hear they expression said as “to play on someone's heartstrings .” But that is a little less common . Also , you don't always have to use the preposition “at .” You can simply say something “tugs the heartstrings .” And sometimes the word “heartstrings ” is used on its own . For example , a critic might say a movie “aims for the heartstrings but misses … hitting the funny bone instead .” Some word experts say that in medieval times it was thought that “heartstrings ” were tissues that supported the heart . So , if you pulled them , you controlled the heart and the emotions . Now , here is the expression used between two friends . Did you see the new children's movie that just came out – The Long Lost Lonely Little Ladybug ? That's a children's movie ? It sounds so … sad . I watched it last night and I cried for hours afterward . That sounds awful . Oh no , it was just what I needed – a good cry . I'm still thinking about it today . That movie really pulled at my heartstrings . I don't mind a good movie that pulls at my heartstrings . But it sounds like this movie pulled them right out of your chest . Maybe next time … watch a comedy !