Valentine’s Day & Every Day

Valentine’s Day is a great occasion to express your love, admiration, appreciation, or gratitude for someone you love. Yes, it’s turned into a very, very commercial, capitalist, money-making, holiday – but it doesn’t mean you have to hate it because of it. At the core there is a good message… and chocolate if you’re lucky.

I’m a huge proponent of showing your gratitude every day of the year by doing simple things for those you love and care about. But that doesn’t mean that Valentines’ Day needs to be shunned just because it’s a special day to show someone special how you feel about them. I agree with a lot of the criticism I see and hear from friends that everyday should be a Valentine’s Day for someone you love – but what’s the harm in juicing it up a bit one day a year?

Holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries are there to remind us of times of the year and special occasions and they serve a purpose. Some people are just not very good at expressing themselves – Minnesota is largely Scandinavian and talking about your feelings is not something easily done for most. But your ancestors don’t have to be from the frozen north in order to be uncomfortable expressing yourself – special days of the year give those who are a little, er, pent up, a chance to squeeze some of that romantic juice out for a change.

If you’re surrounded by people getting gushy one day a year, you don’t feel so exposed. What’s so wrong with that – we all know there is safety in numbers. Besides, life is clipping along as a pace faster than most of us can keep up with it, what’s wrong with designating a day for those who are gulping life’s waters instead of swimming in them. It serves a purpose even if there are those who don’t need the reminder, because there are some who do.

If you’re single on Valentine’s Day, don’t hate everyone, the day, chocolate, flowers, and love just because you haven’t met the right person. Why don’t you focus your energy in a different way and tell someone you love how important they are to you – there are a lot of Moms and Dads out there who miss getting a construction paper valentine with noodles and string from their kids each year. There are better things to do with your time that be a grinch on Valentine’s Day….

So Happy Valentine’s Day, it doesn’t matter if you’re in love, healing from a broken heart, happily single, miserably single, or alone, there is always someone out there who would love candy, flowers, and a call reminding them how much they mean to you.