I want to change society’s mindset about Valentine’s Day.
There is this belief that this holiday should be annoying, humiliating, or depressing if you are not in a relationship, married, or at least able to find a date on the big day. This is not the case. It is not “Black Wednesday” or whichever day of the week it falls. Valentine’s Day is for everyone, single or not.
Valentine’s Day is NOT:
A dark day to feel bad about yourself if you do not have a significant other.
A holiday to sit out and feel rejected and not loved.
Valentine’s Day IS:
A day to participate in the love we extend to family, friends, and our significant other if it applies.
A day to remember that we are loved by people, some of whom we do not even know.
We should all join in celebrating our love for our family, friends, and others. For some of us, that might include a significant other or spouse. For others, it will not. It does not matter. There is a long history of the holiday's origins on the Internet. I will argue that history does not dictate the rules of our holiday in current times. The modern-day sentiment of the holiday goes beyond romantic meaning. Friendship is celebrated when children exchange valentines at school with decorated shoe box mailboxes. Family members send Valentine’s Day greeting cards to siblings and parents expressing love.
This is a day to feel loved and to express love, whether it is general love, romantic, or both. This is not a holiday to feel bad; this is a holiday to participate in fully, with your intentions of loving others transparently displayed. It is a day to love and to be loved. I do not know who needs to hear it, but you are loved. There are strangers who love you and care about you. This may come as a surprise, but whether single or married, this day is for you.
Do not let the flower deliveries at your place of employment fool you into thinking this is a sad day if you are not in a relationship. Yes, flowers are part of some people’s day, but this does not represent everyone’s type of celebration. How you celebrate might look different than your friend who is about to be engaged. You might have a fun night watching television and enjoying Valentine’s Day chocolate after calling a family member to tell them Happy Valentine’s Day. Someone else might go to dinner. Someone else might send flowers to someone. A coworker might leave Valentine’s Day cards in the mailroom. Everyone will celebrate according to their current situation, but the day is for everyone.
Perhaps this holiday is bitter because it reminds you of a past relationship that did not end well or a friendship that is no longer. This holiday may be sweet because you currently have things going as planned. If life is not going as planned, maybe the day can at least be bittersweet because you have some good memories or are using something you learned through a past hurtful experience. We can carry the sweet parts of our past with us, giving us something to celebrate.
Boldly step out this Valentine’s Day as a member of society who celebrates your love for others and the fact that others love you. You are a part of this special day, regardless of your current relationship status. Whether your day involves flowers, eating chocolate, telling a neighbor you cherish them, going to dinner, or calling an old friend - enjoy your day.
Happy Valentine’s Day. You are loved. This is a special day in which you are an essential part, but that is just my view.