Valentine's Day, Schmalentine's Day

Admittedly, my opinion on this "holiday" might be a tad jaded based on past experiences, but as a whole, this can be a tough day for everyone.  If you do have someone special to celebrate with, then you're saddled by the commercial nature of the entire day: expensive restaurants, beyond expensive flowers, calorie-killer candies, silly stuffed animals with no future purpose, etc.  If you don't have someone special, the day is an often painful reminder of what you don't have but may wish that you did, i.e., someone to share life's memories with.

I suppose I fall into that second category.  I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a tad jealous of those that have someone to shower them with flowers and candy...but it's not something I'm going to change in the next 9 1/2 hours.  I used to laugh at my now-married older brother when he called himself "Single For Life (SFL)."  Yet I've begun to embrace that moniker for myself.  If you had talked to me a decade, or even just 3 years, ago and told me I would still be single in 2011, I would have thought that was ridiculous.  Getting married and perhaps starting a family was always something I dreamed about since I was a little girl.  But through a series of life events and relationship failures that's exactly what I am.  SFL, baby!  (These days I'm not too sure I'd want kids anymore, but a husband?  Yes, please.)

That doesn't mean that I'm not celebrating Valentine's Day though.  I can't remember if the tradition began last year or the year before, but given my SFL status, my parents have started inviting me along to their Valentine's dinner each year.  I'm still up in the air on whether that is sweet or just plain sad.  (I'm guessing it's probably just sad, but I'm holding on to the hope that it's sort of sweet too!)  This year, the dinner is tonight.  And because my poor mom is actually suffering from a nasty head cold, it'll just be me and my dad.  Yes, that's right...I have a Valentine's "date" with my dad tonight.

Anyway, for those of you that have a special someone, forget the commercial nature of Cupid's holiday.  Instead, I hope that this year's Valentine's Day is a celebration of the love between you and your significant other.  And if you're not currently paired up with someone, take a moment to celebrate all the wonderful things that you have to offer someone someday.  It's a day for love.  And that means loving yourself first!

xoxo