lovin' the day

(...why valentine's day is the best day ever)

for those that don't know, valentine's day is one of my two favorite holidays (happy valentine's day!). and it's not for the reasons that most people think- i've actually rarely had a valentine's day that i remember, and almost none of them have been with a boy of interest. 

i think i learned a looooong time ago (specifically i am remembering walking home from school on valentine's day in seventh grade, alone, with no roses, no valentine, no secret admirers sending me candy through the school store) that valentine's day is actually stupid. there's no point to it, really, if you're waiting for it to fill up your expectations of head-over-heels romance, and it will disappoint you every year if you set your expectations that high. 

and once i took away the stigma of what i thought it was supposed to be, i fell in love with valentine's day.

i love valentine's day because it's a day to love. and i love love. (that is the cheesiest thing you'll ever see me admit). but i do, really. valentine's day is a day about love, and it's cute and pink and festive. it's a day about love, and it's nostalgic and reminds me of being a kid and getting valentine's day parties at school and making valentine's day boxes and hoping for a vala-gram from my crush. it's a day about love, and it reminds me of my dad giving me a big, ornate card in the shape of a folding zebra and a bottle of Love's baby soft perfume. and it's a holiday for no reason, really. there's really no obligation to buy tons of presents for everyone you know,  no obligations to get together to celebrate, no obligations to eat obscene amounts of food. it's a silly day (some say commercialized by hallmark), but it's a day with no real rhyme or reason, minus the celebration of love! 

and what's not to love about that?! 

and before you argue with me- yes, i know if you're in a relationship it can add a weird expectation of romance, and dinner, flowers, & gifts. (hi, don't you think he feels pressure on the first valentine's day of being engaged to a woman that touts v-day as her favorite holiday ever?! poor guy!). and if you're not in a relationship it can add the weird feeling of loneliness and singledom. but those two weird things only happen if you let them. i think so many people have expectations of this day, and i wonder where we get them and why we give them so much power. the reality is: i'm going to do what i want on v-day, and if that means getting my man something, than i will- because i want to! and if he doesn't feel like doing something for me, then that's ok with me- because i know our relationship is way bigger and better and secure than a hand delivered dozen roses or a box of chocolates. that stuff doesn't make my relationship better, and it doesn't mean he loves me more. it means he decided to buy a box of chocolates or roses. the end. 

so i hope you and your loved ones have a FABULOUS valentine's day, and you get treated lovingly and kindly and someone tells you how much they love you. i also hope that you take time to love on someone else. 

and if you need more valentine's day love, visit here for my favorite valentine's day memory from recent past. 

lovelovelovelovelovelovelovelovelovelovelovelovelovelovelovelovelovelovelovelo