Down to its premise of love, not much has changed about the holiday known as Valentine's Day. People have always celebrated Feb. 14 as a day dedicated towards celebrating your significant other, but I think there is more to the holiday than that.
Besides the fact that I have been called the Cupid of my generation, Feb. 14 also doubles as my birthday. And so, it is understandable why I would resent the attitudes of the millions of loveless people who look at this day as a reminder that they are single. How would you feel if you went for a walk on your birthday, only to find the majority of the people around you moping? As if you didn't get that they were depressed, they would also be wearing all black to symbolize the unfilled hole in their heart that is a lover, in case the somber look on their face did not get the point across.
Now, putting aside the fact that Valentine's Day is also the single most important day of my existence, let's get deep. Let's think about love. What does love mean? Love, in its purest form, is the feeling that we feel for the people we care about.
I care about a lot of people! Whether I am talking about friends or family, I could honestly say that I love them all. However, the social norm surrounding Valentine's Day precludes us from showing that love on Feb. 14. Valentine's Day is not restricted to significant others. Although I happen to be single this Valentine's Day, that does not stop me from calling my mom and telling her that I love her.
An argument can be made that one should be showing their love for the important people in their lives every day of the calendar year, and not just on one day. I agree with this statement, but this does not mean that love cannot be specifically highlighted on one day! Hence, days of commemoration, like anniversaries, Independence Day, President's Day and even birthdays.
With everything said, I say spread the love. Spread the positivity. Valentine's Day is a day that serves as just another excuse to be happy. So, as you're mailing me my birthday present and posting on my Facebook wall, remember that loving your family and your friends is much more important on Feb. 14 than loving your new bae who you met on Tinder a month ago.
