Valentine's Day

“I love you. I don’t just say that to say it. I mean it every single time” My heart began to beat fast and blood rushed to my cheeks as I read the first words on the page long hand-written letter. The whole day had already been perfect; my favorite cupcakes and chocolate, flowers, and a romantic dinner. But this hand-written letter was the icing on the cake. I felt exactly what I was intended to feel on Valentine’s Day, love.

 I love Valentine’s Day and I always have. Growing up, I looked forward to picking out valentine’s cards for all of my classmates. I recall setting aside a special valentine’s card or candy for whoever my crush may have been at the time. My parents have also always made a point to make Valentine’s Day a special day by gifting me with flowers, candy, or other similar gifts. “Any guy that you date in the future needs to know that you already have a man in your life who loves you dearly, so he has to meet that standard” my dad would tell me as he handed me my Valentine’s Day gift.  My fond memories of the special holiday growing up definitely contribute to my current love and appreciation of the day.

Today, I enjoy the idea of celebrating love. Although I try to make it a point to express my love for others on a regular basis, I appreciate taking a day to focus on recognizing the love in your life and expressing it. This definitely includes romantic love, but it is not limited to it. I also use Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to shower my friends and family in love, and when I have kids of my own I will make the day special for them just as my parents did for me.

Although I feel this way about Valentine’s Day, I am very aware that there are many people who do not. Critics of the holiday may claim that it is too commercialized, or not an actual holiday. According to an article in Forbes, there are various reasons why people dislike Valentine’s Day which include being reminded that you are not in a relationship, being reminded of past relationships, pressure to meet expectations, forcing roles, and being reminded that you have no money.

I understand why people may feel these ways, but I think that people who dislike Valentine’s Day often misunderstand the purpose of the day. Yes, the holiday has become commercialized, but what American holiday hasn’t? Despite its commercialization, Valentine’s Day is about love. That does not necessarily mean romantic love either. It is more than just the gifts or the cute decorations that take over during the month of February. “Thank you for being you, Happy Valentine’s Day. I love you” was the last line of the hand-written letter I received. This expression of love meant more to me than any other material thing could have.  Love, any type of love, is a beautiful thing and I enjoy having a day dedicated to it.