Valentine's Day

Now this isn’t some kind of a soppy post about how cute my day has been. But then again it isn’t one complaining about being single in one of the most traditionally romantic cities. I probably bought into all of the soppy romantic Valentine’s propaganda at some point in time, been conditioned into thinking that being alone on Valentine’s Day was some kind atrocity that no one could live through happily. This just isn’t true. I’m not going to have all of the card companies and chocolate and perfume companies try to tell me how to feel about my life. I’m perfectly content. Why should I be any different today than on any other day?

It really shocked me when I was at work how miserable L was that she was single for Valentine’s. Why should it matter? Surely it is better to not care about the consumerist spiel that gets dragged out every February. Why should people want to visit Paris too of all places? Because they have been told that it is a city of love. But is it? I see hundreds of homeless people on the streets who don’t get given a second glance. Is that love?

If you want to show your undying love for someone, why take them to a place that is so clichéd. Do they really not mean anything to you for you to take them to somewhere so unimaginative? Why not take them somewhere they might actually enjoy or somewhere they’ve always wanted to go? Why not take them anytime of the year? Do you have to be prompted into doing something romantic because the card shops have started putting up their posters? Is the 14^th February really any different from any other day?

But if you’re single don’t moan about the fact you’re single- why does it matter? Don’t feel depressed about not having someone in your life right now. If you feel so bad about that then go out and change it. Or maybe it is a time for self-reflection? Isn’t being happy in yourself what you should strive for and not having a potentially meaningless relationship so that you can fit in on one day of the year? I know I started feeling a lot better about myself when I realised that just being me was the best thing to be. You wobble every now and again but that’s life.

Love to me is when J holds my hand of her own free will when we walk home from school. It’s having fun with friends. It’s doing something for yourself whether that’s eating something completely superb or listening to songs that make you feel good and singing your heart out in the shower.