It's Monday.

oh. and Valentine's, too. But you knew that. February 14th is impossible to escape from, whether you're lonely and single; taken and adorable to the point of inducing vomit from other people; or, taken and....so far away from the person you love, that you're almost as lonely as the single people out there.

No matter what category you fall in, you're completely aware that it's more than a Monday. For one thing, the amount of pink and red everywhere is disgusting (sorry, but I hate the color pink. If you like it...well, I apologize for insulting it?). The amount of cheesy (or sincere) cards everywhere is also pretty in your face, and roses just happen to be sprouting in everyone's houses (or so it seems). But don't get me started on that. [Too late.]

If you get someone a box of chocolates (classically heart-shaped) and a dozen roses for Valentine's Day you are A. The least-creative soul in the world (except for all the other poor pathetic souls doing the exact same thing as you) and B. just going through the motions. (oh, and C. Wasting a hell of a lot of money on roses. that die. really fast.) Yes, a lot of girls appreciate flowers. And most girls love chocolate. But combining these two gifts on a day where they're most expected (and easy to find in any store you go into) is, well, sort of sad. You don't care enough about the person to at least toss a little creativity into the mix? I can't speak for everyone, but personally I'd rather get a card with a cute little thought-out message (hand-written by you, not already in the card) than some chocolate and a bunch of dead things. I mean flowers. Commercialization is not cute, and it's not love. It's media-induced cheesiness that comes from your pocket, not your heart.

Okay, now that that little rant is over, here comes my next one. Ready?

As much as I've been there, being single on Valentine's Day does not mean that it's your time to go find a secluded corner in which you can bawl your eyes out. I know there are anti-Valentine's parties (and yes, I've celebrated anti-Valentine's, myself. It's rather fun.) and those are cool, but the thing is, Valentine's Day is supposed to be about LOVE. Not just "hi, you're my boyfriend/girlfriend, I love you" love, but all kinds. I'm assuming you love your family and your friends. They deserve just as much attention as anyone else. So, maybe make a card for your mom to remind her how much you love her. Or, maybe bake a bunch of heart-shaped cookies (or just regular-shaped ones) to give to your friends or to hand out at your anti-Valentine's Day party. Show a little love to the people you care about, instead of feeling sorry for the lack-of-love you seem to have in your life. Relationships are with more people than whoever you might or might not be dating, and love is the key factor. So, instead of feeling sorry for yourself, remember to celebrate love; after all that's the point of Valentine's Day. (Why do you think all your elementary school teachers made you get a Valentine's card for everyone? You're supposed to spread the love around and make sure that nobody feels left out, even if that means you give that "weird kid" your least favorite design from the box of Valentine's Day cards your mom bought.)

My dad's gotten me a box of chocolates every Valentine's Day for as long as I can remember, and my mom's made me a card and gotten me some other little thing. All those chocolates and little cards saved me from many lonely, hated Valentine's Days in middle school and high school, and I’m terribly grateful. I didn’t really get why they got stuff for me for the longest time. At first I thought that maybe my dad thought I’d get jealous or try to steal my mom’s chocolate if he just bought presents for her, then I thought that maybe they didn't want me to feel left out. Finally, between that and other reasons, I came to the conclusion that I’ve presented now—Valentine’s Day is about love. So, enjoy today, and don’t forget the most important bits of the holiday. Happy Valentine's Day!

Love,

M.