Treat Every Day Like It's Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day has now come and gone.

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The day filled with red roses, candy, teddy bears, a thousand heart cut-outs, and eating eat as much chocolate as you want (and not being judged) has officially passed. We'll have to wait until next year to spread the love to our family, friends, and significant others.

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Wait, what?

Why can't the spirit of Valentine's Day occur each and every day? Who says that we have to wait for the calendar to turn February 14 until we can let someone we love know that they are cherished and appreciated by us?

Valentine's Day is the perfect day for sharing our love and gratitude for people in our lives. I love the fact that it is annually set aside in order for us to do just that. However, wouldn't it be so cool if we took that amount of authentic love and continue it throughout the entire year? I think that our world would be a much different place if that actually happened.

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The recent days, months really, have been extremely depressing and gray. People are anxious, worried, shocked, devastated, and saddened by recent events in our country and world. Hate has been spewed and there seems to be an absence of positivity. Spreading the love has been the last thing on everyone's mind.

Valentine's Day this year came around and helped to change the overall mood a little. I witnessed flowers getting delivered to staff on campus, students running around giving valentines to other students, guys getting their significant others heart-shaped balloons, and candy being shared amongst friends. And Valentine's Day love spread to social media where it didn't take a person long to scroll through to immediately see everyone's sentimental posts. Even Facebook was calm and bursting with goodness! Wow, what a sight. Almost everyone, in some way, was excited by the day's festivities.

I received a couple of well-wishes through texts from friends, an early morning call from my mom wishing me a "Happy V-Day!', and candy from my sweet aunt. I saw many smiling faces, laughter flowing from conversations, and an overwhelming sense of joy. Even single people were partaking in the events. Us single ladies were throwing "Galentine's" days that Leslie Knope and Ann Perkins would be jealous of. It felt good to see this type of kindness back in people's lives once again. Sure, this probably happened because of the holiday factor. Any holiday will boost people's morale for that matter! That's why keeping up the good vibes after the holiday ends, would make such a difference in our lives.

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We can start small by setting aside time to catch up with an old friend over coffee, write a note of affirmation to a family member, or pay it forward to a stranger in a small way. Be a beacon of light and love. When it's tempting to let resentment, frustration or anger in, quickly wash those feelings away. We have to remember that it's important to say "I love you" now, rather than later.

Let every day be Valentine's Day.