I had every intention of going to bed early tonight, dear Internet friends, but something occurred to me as I began drifting off and it caused all sorts of thoughts to start tumbling around in my brain. Instead of trying to forget it and fall asleep, I’ll share this guilt-ridden uncomfortable idea with all of you: I’m looking forward to tomorrow.
Shock! Gasp!
“But Jessica! Last year you wrote so intensely about how Valentine’s Day is an unimaginative, consumer-oriented, entirely arbitrary, manipulative and shallow interpretation of a romantic holiday! Have you been duped into celebrating its unoriginal and illogical sentiments?”
You’ve got me. Yes, I wrote about the history and current state of Valentine’s and ranted quite thoroughly about this heart-shaped cliché of a tradition. I still hold many of the same opinions I expressed in last year’s blog. I still strongly dislike the prominence of premade cards, generic bouquets, and boxes of chocolates. I don’t like that couples feel obligated to do something and singles are forced into an awkward situation. The expression of love should be a daily practice, unprompted by outside factors such as a societally dictated day. BUT…
Why not take this as a moment to celebrate love? Why not use Valentine’s as a day to tell everyone you hold dear that you think they are special, and you can’t imagine a world without them? And if you have someone special in your life who wants to use this holiday as a chance to express their genuine emotion without having to, shouldn’t you reciprocate those affections and take the opportunity to strengthen a relationship?
Maybe the key to Valentine’s is not to cater to the stagnant dogma I have outlined before. Instead, you can celebrate in a way that means something significant for you. With that being said, my Valentine’s Day date and my anticipation aren’t fully usurping my prior opinions. My excitement shows that I have an occasion in which I can share a special moment with someone well worth the time spent. Happy Valentine’s Day, on February 14th or whatever day you share with someone you love.
Things That Start With J 