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Monday, February 14, 2011

Valentine's Day is...

...not just for couples. It's for love.

I remember in high school my French teacher  told us that the only people who celebrated valentine's day in France were couples, and how surprised she was when she first came to America that it was just as much about friends and relatives. In high school, I agreed with her completely. But more and more in college I've seen this celebration of friendship fade. So many people my age don't even pay a second thought to Valentine's day - or talk about how much they hate it and write it off as being driven by corporate motives.

I can't exactly say I disagree with them. There is so much pressure surrounding v-day. If you're in a relationship, you struggle to be the perfect romantic. If you're not, you try not to notice all of the happy couples, hearts, and flowers. And everyone, no matter how content, keeps the thought in the back of their mind that maybe, just maybe, the day holds the kind of Valentine's surprise that we are all taught to wish for when we're little.

The other day at the library I saw a woman reading books about finding love and happiness, and I couldn't help but wonder if the date had anything to do with this selection. But today I'm not thinking about what isn't - I'm thinking about what is.

2 comments:

Jennifer Louise said...

This is a great post- it's so true. Even in Australia there's that pressure- half the people complain about the holiday too.

Deb's Creative Art said...

thanks for my valentine lunch daughter... hugs and love from me..... I do remember hating this holiday when I was younger too.... :) but this too will pass... I even remember hating this holiday when I was married for a time too... but now I know, valentines day can be every day if we take the "expectations" out of finding love from another person and finding love from with-in ourselves... like those new shoes... :) I love me so much... I buy new shoes :) love ya girl!