Valentine's Day

As you all can tell by looking at any social media today (or, if you're looking at this at a later date, the date posted) you all know that it is Valentine's Day. Be prepared to see women posting pictures of roses and chocolates on Facebook and Twitter, talking about fancy dinners they have planned, and everyone talking about how much they love that special someone. There will also be quite the abundance of single people talking about how ultra-consumerist it is or how sad they are to be alone.

I personally can't, and never have been able to, stand Valentine's Day. I find it to be a completely phony holiday that actually detracts from the love felt between two people. Even on all of those Valentine's Days that I spent alone or just in the company of other single friends, it seemed like a very pointless holiday that cheapened real love and affection. When I have had someone special to spend these days with, I found myself feeling the exact same way. I never really liked roses in any situation and would much rather have another flower. I don't care for sweets. I don't like diamonds and feel that they should not be worn before you're fifty (with the only exception being your wedding/engagement rings), I prefer other gemstones.

Valentine's Day forces men to buy flowers and chocolate and jewelry for the special lady in their life. Women have come to not only hope, but expect all of these gifts. And not just any flowers will do for Valentine's Day, it has to be roses which are not only out of season, but already severely over priced to begin with. Chocolate must come in the shape of a giant red, heart shaped box filled with several different varieties that are sure to be thrown out later. Not just any jewelry will do, it has to be something with diamonds that sparkles and shines and probably came from Africa and caused the death of many. If the woman works, the man is supposed to send all of these gifts to work so other female coworkers can look on in jealousy and see just how much this woman is loved. If the woman is still at school, they should be delivered at school and if it interrupts a class, that is even better because it causes even more attention to be drawn to this super special lady. After the woman is showered with all of these gifts, the man is supposed to to her out to an extremely over priced dinner just to drill in the fact that he does care about her.

For people not in a relationship, this extreme show of "affection" only goes to point out just how alone they are and how little they matter in society because they are alone. To all of the people that may have recently ended a relationship, it makes them feel even more alone and draws attention to the fact that they recently lost someone special in their life. Valentine's Day also puts the sole responsibility of showing affection on the man. Women don't have to do anything at all for the special man in their life, they just sit back and receive gifts and complain if what they got wasn't enough to show how much their man really cares. Women measure the love of a man by the number of gifts they receive.

I don't know how it became the rule that you can only do nice things for someone one day a year. If you want to send me lilies, you can send them in May or November. If you want to take me out to a special dinner, we can go other days of the year. If you wanted to make a special dinner for me or have us cook something together, we can also do this year round. If you want to get me opals or sapphires, feel free to do so because you actually love me any other time. I'll be doing the same for you. I love someone so I will do everything I can to do little things for them throughout the year. If you care about me, show me you love me other times. Love is not meant to be hidden away for 364 days a year. Love is not just for February 14th.