CVS is bleeding pink and red, and you’re standing in the frozen food aisle, with a bottle of wine in one hand and a pint of ice cream in the other, gathering the essentials for a night in with your roommates. Guess what? That is OK. Here’s why:
With Valentine’s Day approaching, I’ve given a lot of thought to how this holiday is perceived by those around me. For some, it’s the day to celebrate love and spend time with your significant other. For others, who aren’t invested in a relationship, it tends to be a holiday that falls short. If you’re single, it’s not always easy watching friends or family enjoy this day with someone they find so compatible. Oftentimes, we wonder when the day will arrive for us to celebrate, and question what to think of February 14th as a whole.
Valentine’s Day comes once a year and we seem to get a little lost. What should we do? Who do we hangout with?
The truth is, no matter whether you are single or involved, you shouldn’t feel slighted of the ability to celebrate this day. There is no definitive label on the word love, which means today can be a day to love your life. Love yourself and the things that make you happy. Appreciate the people around you who make every day memorable, whether they are family or your best friends. And, if you do have a special someone who makes you unconditionally happy, enjoy it! Take this day to celebrate that relationship you share.
The inspiration behind this article came from a friend who turned a thought into part of a poem. When I read it, I smiled, realizing that she was right and eventually my time would arrive. She wrote about cherishing Valentine’s day we have to ourselves because it won’t be that way forever. Eventually, you’ll get to share this day with your “person,” but until then focus on taking this day to focus on yourself and the good.
So, seriously, go for it. Binge-watch Rom-Coms with your friends, eat every favorite food you can think of, dance around the house, and hang out at the beach all day. Remember that this world is full of all kinds of love, and we are the ones who determine how to spread it and where we want to give it.
Valentine’s Day can be for everyone. Once we leave behind the mentality that Valentine’s Day can only be shared with a significant other, we open ourselves up to appreciating another day of our lives. If you’re single and patiently awaiting that day, don’t sweat it. It will get here soon enough! Until then, cherish the time with those already in your life, the world we live in and the one person who will always be by your side—you.
