Valentine's Day is that somewhat Hallmark holiday that comes around every year. Stores fill their aisles with cards, chocolate and giant teddy bears. Some call it a cliché, and others have had plans for this day for months. There are usually two sides to the day: those who dread it and those who take everything to a whole new level. Yes, of course, the holiday is meant to celebrate your love for your significant other, but maybe it doesn’t need to be. What if we decided to take Valentine's Day, and make it a day of appreciation? The theme of the entire day is love. Who says it can only be towards your significant other? Why don’t we take this day to send our love to everyone we love? Single or taken, we all have people that mean the world to us. With that I say we take Feb. 14, and make it a day to spread love to the people we couldn’t imagine not having in our lives.
I have never been the biggest fan of Valentine's Day. I found it all to be completely overrated, and yes, I thought this while still being in a relationship. There seems to always be a mix of very negative emotion, and overwhelming excitement associated with the day. Once upon a time though, Valentine's Day was around the corner and I was terribly dreading it. The 14th came upon me, and something I never expected happened. Instead of being completely annoyed, it actually ended up being an amazing day. I spent my day surrounded by friends and family. It was a total coincidence, but I spent the “oh so terrible” holiday smiling from ear to ear. I remember that night laying in bed and thinking about the day’s events. I had been left with that warm and fuzzy feeling in the pit of my stomach, and my cheeks still hurt from smiling all day.
It was that night that I realized that maybe Valentine's Day doesn’t need to be as ridiculous as some would claim it to be. Maybe instead of focusing on that one special person, we can celebrate our love for all the special people in our lives. The one’s who make us smile each day, and fill our little world with joy.
This Feb. 14, I challenge everyone, single or not, to spend this special holiday celebrating the love we receive from our friends and family. Send cards, buy chocolate and say “I love you.” Show all of them how much you love them and appreciate everything they do for you. Valentine's day does not have to be a day people dread. Holidays are supposed to be a way to celebrate, so celebrate it your way. Make it a day that is solely unique to you. Love is a truly beautiful thing in every shape and form. Love is something that deserves to be celebrated, so please, celebrate. Enjoy your Valentine's Day however you want, but remember to show your love to the one’s who are closest to your heart.
Happy Valentine's Day everyone!
