February 14: The blank stare at my phone was too long to ignore. It was my first year being single after a relationship which, seemed like, lasted for ages. I tried to remember this feeling. But it seemed so vague. And yet, to my own surprise, not undesirable.
That was 2+ years ago. And when I look back at it, I realized why I wasn’t upset, jealous or frustrated. I never saw the meaning of Valentine’s Day. I never saw the meaning of glorifying something so pure and rare.
Ok before we all react and jump back into our shells, hear me out here. I’m not here to deliver a pessimistic view on Valentine’s Day. I’m, honestly, indifferent. In this day and age, when everyday is a happy “something” day, it makes sense to have something solely dedicated to love. Here’s where it gets tricky: society is wired in a way to automatically sort out the ones who are celebrating in pairs vs. those who aren’t. In addition to that, the art of categorizing and setting standards are no brainers when it comes to a heightened sense of loneliness and worthlessness, regardless of what someone’s relationship status is.
For me, I show my loved ones everyday how much they mean to me, through my actions mostly (I don’t ‘purely love‘ many people so it’s easier (haha!). The frequency and way of showing love varies from one person to another. To sum up, it’s amazing to love and express that love. But it’s also ok to hold an opinion on your way of loving. Society doesn’t have to normalize a certain way.
I’ll end this with something the Beatles said best: “Love is all we need“. Let’s kick it up a notch, and practice the most important kind of love this Valentine’s Day (and something we can all collectively agree with): self love!
