Correct, I myself do not do anything out of the ordinary on February 14. In part this is because I have always found romantic gestures generally suspicious, plus I'm a
But hear me out. Though I roll my eyes and groan at contrived diamond commercials, though I throw up in my mouth a little when women gush and coo over so and so's bouquet, cheap chocolates, tacky cards, etc. - what I'm always taken back by are the hoards of nay-sayers. What gives, haters?
Sure, I remember in grade school when there were always a couple gloating kids with hoards of candy and cards on their desks, usually sitting right next to the poor schmo who had one or two. I know it's frustrating to "be reminded" that some people are happier than you. (Or so they would like to have you believe.)
"Megan, you just don't get it. You're happily married. Once a year us poor oppressed single people are left like starving puppies out in the rejected rains and sorrowful sleet storms while being forced to gaze inside warm homes where attractive couples are cozied up in eternal bliss that we have never known!" PUH-LEEZ.
If you're single, my guess is someone out there loves you. It may be your Mom or your AA sponsor, but someone cares. I promise all those 'perfect happy couples' aren't going to get together and stare at you from the corners of their eyes wondering if you are a secret carrier of leprosy. There is really no excuse to knock a holiday that only aims to celebrate love. Plus, quite frankly I'm a little tired of being made to feel guilty for having a +1. As for it being a "fake" holiday, these days V-day is really no more commercialized than say, Christmas or Easter. There's candy, there's a lame mascot, a color scheme, the works. It has all the working of a legit holiday as we've come to expect in America. You are free to choose your own degree of obligations and traditions (or lack there of).
Valentine's Day is quite simply whatever you make of it. If there is pressure on you as a guy in a relationship, I'm all for you sucking up the whopping 10 minutes of effort to do something cute for what is basically a guaranteed happy ending. I mean seriously, if you can't bother to make or buy your special lady a little something you know she is going to appreciate, you should do her a favor and just kick yourself out. (Meanwhile ladies, some of ya'll need to calm
I for one will continue to shrug and shake my head when asked "So what are you guys doing for Valentine's Day?" - but I'm simple like that, and I know not everyone feels the same way. Who am I to judge what makes others happy? I don't care if you have made a date with your sofa, a bad movie and a pound of pink and red candy corn (wtf?), but pretty please, you don't have to tell the world about it. (That goes for all the intimate mushy stuff that I've seen popping up too ... wisely mitigate your over share!)
All that to say, I would like to simply encourage everyone to show some love today - to someone, anyone, in a gesture grand or small. Yeah, maybe we should do that everyday, but lets face it, sometimes we could all use a good a kick in the pants.
<3
