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love, save the empty
Feb. 14th, 2009 10:58 pmI've never understood the vitriol about Valentine's Day. Sure, $14.7 billion spent on gifts this year as a proxy for love strikes me as patently ridiculous; what scares me even more is that total expenditures related to this holiday's festivities are at a record low. But the true sentiment behind the day shouldn't arouse so much bitterness and ire. Believe me, I'm as familiar with heartsickness as the next person, but I refuse to let that prevent me from recognizing all there is for which I'm grateful.
I see Valentine's Day the way I see Thanksgiving and Christmas: an opportunity to reflect on what I have that I all too frequently overlook. This day is a celebration of love; I just expand that definition of love to something beyond the romantic kind.
When I think of love, I think of my family and friends and the friends I secretly count as family. I honestly can't imagine what my life would be without you. Call me a romantic, but I find it tragic how often we don't notice or acknowledge all those things that make us smile as we realize that yes, someone out there does care about us.
Love is someone checking in to see how I'm doing after angsting about a bad day. Love is someone going out of their way to send you a DVD featuring your favorite actor or a CD featuring your favorite composer. Love is someone baking green tea pound cake just for the fun of it and not minding when you end up eating most of it. Love is someone letting you continually bum rides off of her even though she refuses to let you pay for gas. Love is someone writing you a story or sharing a favorite poem. Love is someone washing your sheets and remembering to stock up on your favorite snack every time you come home. Love is someone sending you ridiculous lolcat photos and random cartoons because he thought you'd be entertained. Love is someone you haven't seen in ages sending you a letter or a postcard. Love is someone reminding you to stop taking yourself so seriously and learn how to crack a smile every so often. Love is someone who means it when they urge you to take care of yourself on the days when you don't think you're really worth caring about. Love is someone teaching you something new that they thought you'd enjoy. Love is someone trusting you enough to share a secret. Love is someone sharing something they've created so beautiful that you forget to breathe for a few moments. Love is seeing someone you admire stand up for what she believes is right and inspire you to take action, too.
I may be single, but I do feel loved this Valentine's Day. Thank you for being there.
I see Valentine's Day the way I see Thanksgiving and Christmas: an opportunity to reflect on what I have that I all too frequently overlook. This day is a celebration of love; I just expand that definition of love to something beyond the romantic kind.
When I think of love, I think of my family and friends and the friends I secretly count as family. I honestly can't imagine what my life would be without you. Call me a romantic, but I find it tragic how often we don't notice or acknowledge all those things that make us smile as we realize that yes, someone out there does care about us.
Love is someone checking in to see how I'm doing after angsting about a bad day. Love is someone going out of their way to send you a DVD featuring your favorite actor or a CD featuring your favorite composer. Love is someone baking green tea pound cake just for the fun of it and not minding when you end up eating most of it. Love is someone letting you continually bum rides off of her even though she refuses to let you pay for gas. Love is someone writing you a story or sharing a favorite poem. Love is someone washing your sheets and remembering to stock up on your favorite snack every time you come home. Love is someone sending you ridiculous lolcat photos and random cartoons because he thought you'd be entertained. Love is someone you haven't seen in ages sending you a letter or a postcard. Love is someone reminding you to stop taking yourself so seriously and learn how to crack a smile every so often. Love is someone who means it when they urge you to take care of yourself on the days when you don't think you're really worth caring about. Love is someone teaching you something new that they thought you'd enjoy. Love is someone trusting you enough to share a secret. Love is someone sharing something they've created so beautiful that you forget to breathe for a few moments. Love is seeing someone you admire stand up for what she believes is right and inspire you to take action, too.
I may be single, but I do feel loved this Valentine's Day. Thank you for being there.
