code: public static LocalDate parse(String date) {
  		if (StringUtils.isEmpty(date)) return null;
  		try {
  			return parse_(date);
  		} catch (DateTimeParseException x) {
  			return InvalidValues.createInvalidLocalDate(date);
  		}
  	}
docs: Tries to be a little bit more clever than the normal parsing. Accept dates
  like 1.2.2013 or 010214
  
  @param date date as a String or <code>null</code>
  @return LocalDate date object (valid or invalid) or <code>null</code>