Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. I feel like a traitor to my fellow singles, but I have to admit that I don't hate Valentine's Day as much as I think I'm supposed to.
Don't get me wrong... I wish I had a Valentine for tomorrow. But let's be honest, I also wish I had a Valentine for February 15 and 16 and 17 and March 14 and 15 and 16 and July 23 and August 18 and... well, every day really.
I like Valentine's Day partly because I like all holidays. But I also like that it's a whole day where people get mushy and sentimental. And as much as they whine about it, I like to think that couples appreciate the excuse to tell each other how much they love the other person. Yes, they should tell each other that all year round. But tomorrow? Everything around them will remind them to tell the person most important to them exactly that. No excuses now! I like that little kids give each other Valentine cards. I like that Alice's has all these "Valentine"-themed scones and cupcakes and Valentines hanging up on the walls and windows. I like that for one day the majority of people celebrate love instead of making snide and cynical remarks about it.
Maybe it'd be more accurate to say I have a love-hate relationship with Valentine's Day. Because I love it so much, I hate that I can't participate in it fully. And maybe, in reality, this is why my fellow singles also hate the day.
So to all those who will have a Valentine tomorrow, please enjoy it to its fullest extent on behalf of those of us who can't.
Please don't call it a Hallmark holiday. Please don't complain about having to take your significant other out for dinner or having to buy them a gift. Please don't skip buying flowers just because they're marked up a little since it's a certain day in February.
Embrace the day-- embrace the excuse to tell the person you love the most in the world all the reasons you love them, all the reasons they are worth the price-increase on those flowers. Embrace the person you love.
It's a pretty special day. And I'm not gonna lie, I'm pretty jealous of you right now.
For a long time I've hated that people get so bent out of shape (especially singles) about Valentines Day, but I could never explain why. You hit the nail on the head. Thanks! I, too, look forward to having a Valentine on Valentines Day... and then I can make heart shaped ravioli or something. For now, that seems a bit excessive... or maybe not. It's a HOLIDAY after all. And you and I both know that holiday = excuse to have a party. =)
ReplyDeletei agree too, Anne with an e :-) very much so - the more focused i am (in everything, right?) on what God has given - AMAZING FRIENDS!!! - the less i dwell bitterly on something i don't. and we have the One who will always love and never disappoint.
ReplyDeleteone day, some day, soon day?
perhaps some icing on the cake...
till then? "You satisfy me with Your love, and all I have in you is more than enough!"
Urgh. I hate Valentine's Day, but in all fairness, I hate a lot of other holidays too. My all time least favorite holiday is Christmas. I know, I know that's an awful thing to say as a Christian, but it's just so depressing.
ReplyDelete