February 14 must only be celebrated by couples who plan to buy dinner at restaurants that usually cost 20 bucks per person, but just for today, cost 100 per person. (Not including tip.) Then, one member of the couple gives Tiffany diamonds to the other member of the couple, the one wearing red panties she (or he) bought just for the occasion, at a cost of more than my best business suit. And, after dinner is eaten and diamonds bestowed, the couple go off to their rose petal-covered bed, where said lingerie is strewn across satin sheets, and they have wild, passionate, monkey sex.
That is, if you believe the media hype. And those who do usually end up being quite disappointed on this day, perhaps even dread it, because if they get or give anything less than the above, they feel they’re either unloved or unloving.
I say hooey to that. I think Valentine’s Day should be the day people set aside to notice how much we all can and do love, and in a multitude of ways:
If your neighbor drove you to pick up your car at the repair shop, you are loved.
If you thought the child sitting in the shopping cart ahead of you in the check-out queue at the supermarket was adorable, you are loving.
If someone leaves a warm message on your answerphone, your email, or anywhere else technology permits, you are loved.
If you go visit your widowed aunt, the one who has yellowed doilies on the backs of her dusty living room chairs, and you sit in one for an hour while she talks non-stop, you are loving.
If that aunt remembers what your favorite cake was as a child, and bakes it for you despite the arthritis in her fingers, you are loved.
If you find your old high school teacher on Facebook and tell her that you remember what a great teacher she was, you are loving.
If she also remembers you and little things about you from back then, (good or bad) you are loved.
If you recycle and try your best to use paper instead of plastic, you are loving.
If you don’t blast your horn and swear at the man who cuts you off because he’s late for an important meeting, or the woman who was distracted by three children in her car, you are loving.
If you worried about the strangers in Haiti who are suffering today, you are loving.
If you’re reading this and smiling, you are loving.
If you’re reading this, you’re one of the people for whom I’ve written it. And so, you are loved.
[…] when it comes to love and Valentine’s Day, I can usually be pretty sappy. Like in this post here. But this Valentine’s Day, I decided to play devil’s advocate and ask people to please […]