A New Take on Valentine's Day

This is the week of Valentine's Day.  This holiday always brings with it a feeling of ugh.  Maybe it stems from my days of being single and no matter how hard I tried I would feel left out and alone on Valentine's day. Now that I am married, I realize life is not Jared and Hallmark commercials consisting of one bold, giant expression of love on Valentine's Day but rather a life time of it.  A lifetime of daily romantic gestures rather than the bold showiness of it all.  Regardless of where you are relationship or not there seems to be a let down built around the romantic notion of this holiday.

I thought this quote summed it up well.

"Valentine's Day is just a capitalist scam, designed to make people currently in a relationship spend unnecessary money in a fruitless attempt to ensure undying love and devotion. For those of us not in a relationship, Valentine's Day is simply added pressure to identify ourselves within the context of a romantic relationship, whipping us into a frenzy that only the presence of our soul mates can relieve."

 --Heather Hepler

On the other hand to have a holiday devoted entirely to love is simply amazing.  To have a holiday celebrating the people in our lives who are there for us no matter what, who show up when we need them most, that is impressive.

This year regardless of your romantical status let's just celebrate the concept of LOVE.  Let's celebrate those we love, our partner, parents, friends, children, pets, ourselves and anyone or anything in-between.

• Let's take some time to really enjoy a day of letting those closest to us know that we love them.  
• Reach out to friends you haven't talked to in awhile to say 'hey'.  
• Pamper yourself with a long walk, a nice dinner and a hot bath.  
• Call someone who changed your life and thank them. 
• Do little things throughout the day to demonstrate your love to those closest to you. 

Let go of the expectations of flowers, cards, candles and diamonds.  Forget the concept that you are worthless if you aren't in a TV worthy relationships.  Dismiss the idea that true love happens when someone give you the biggest diamond they can afford.

Truth is love is messy.  Love is challenging, growth inducing and amazingly empowering.  Love can change your life.  So this Valentines Day let's let go of the commercial expectations--let's celebrate love in all of its forms.  Who's with me??