Pages

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Valentine's Day

L-O-V-E


Today is a day for...

As lucky as I am to have the husband and family I adore, there were days when it wasn't roses and chocolate.  I have had Valentine's Days to forget.  I think that's why today isn't some all-consuming holiday for me.  I don't expect roses.  Chocolate is nice but let's be real here.  Chocolate is nice any day of the year.  Please don't tell me I can only have it once a year.

I don't get all wrapped up in the romantic part of Valentine's Day.  Don't get me wrong, I like romance as much as the next girl...  heck, my job involves an awful lot of romance but over the years I've learned that romance isn't all there is and if you can't be thoughtful and loving on the other 364 days, doing it today is an empty gesture.

Valentine's day is a day with a lot of pressure to be in a relationship, to be crazy in love and to be insanely romantic.  We're supposed to be swept off our feet on this day.  Ok.  Women are supposed to be swept off our feet.  That's a lot of pressure.  If you're in a relationship, feel free to revel in the Valentine's vibe but if you're not....

Grab a cup of coffee and settle in.  I want to talk to you.

I'm going to let you in on a secret.  I'm going to tell you what the true meaning of this day is supposed to be.  Once you know this and embrace it, you'll never feel lonely on this holiday again.  Are you ready?

Valentine's Day isn't really about being in love.  

"What?!" you say...  Oh yeah...  I heard you say it.  You don't believe me, do you?  You look around and you see all the hearts and flowers.  You see the commercials where lucky ladies get diamonds and roses and big boxes of chocolates.  You see those couples and you think... "Ha!  Donna has lost her mind.  Valentine's Day is all about being in love."

Nope.  It's not.  Hear me out.  What it's really about is something so much simpler.  See that photo above?  What's written on the heart?  "Love"  There are no other words on that heart.  The problem is we subconsciously put the word "IN" with the love.  So the day becomes all about being "in love".

If there's a word that should go before love it's *give*.

And giving love is not limited to just one special person.  Of course, it's nice to have one special person to share your life and hopefully that person will be with you soon but in order to have a complete life, you need more than that one person, you need:  family, friends, co-workers, a hobby, a home, pets.  All of these things and more add up to a lovable life.

I'm very blessed to have a lovable life and I bet if you stop and think about it, you have a lovable life as well.   So, instead of thinking about the kind of love you're not getting today, stop and think about the love you're giving.  Then, send a text, an email or pick up the phone.  Reach out and tell people (and your pets) you love them.  

Then...  smile because you just learned the real meaning of Valentine's Day AND you saved a ton of money on roses and chocolates.  


No comments:

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...