It is the middle of February which means everything is pink, red, stuffed, and chocolate. It is full of warm fuzzies and the cutest, cleverest valentines cards. Flowers dominate aisles and aisles as they prepare to be whisked away to some deserving lady from her man. Valentines day is about celebrating love. One of my favorite proofs of God is how we love each other. Cells don't have a reason to love. The feeling of love, celebration, affection, and want are not something science gathered up, but what a great God did. Relationships are love. And those relationships can be celebrated with or without a man.

One thing about me that defines a lot of who I am is how my room looks. In my room, I have a hundred plus pictures. These pictures are my family, my friends, my classmates, my church friends, my favorite places, my favorite adventures, throwbacks, new things.. they are taped side by side in a massive collage that spans my entire room.. because why? Because love fills those pictures. Love that isn't romantic, but love that is genuinely authentic. I think we miss this love when we are obsessed with romantic love, especially as college students dying to get a potential hubby. I look around my room, and a boyfriend isn't there, but the friend that held my hand is. The family member who consistently prayed over me is. The best beach day ever spent with my girlfriends is hanging right next to one where I stood in my best friend's wedding. These memories are what love is. I hear all the time and even feel this way sometimes, that valentines suck. But they don't: boy or no boy, you are loved. And love is the craziest, funnest, sweetest, thing on this earth. Jesus gives us love so we can give love. So put on your cutest dress, buy some cheesy valentines and a bear that smells like chocolate, put on your fave movie, grab your girls/man/family, and celebrate that we get to love. Love sweeter. Love better.