Today is a day for love. It’s a day on our calendar that is dedicated to celebration of love. When I was single, I used to dread Valentine’s Day a little bit. I am a big romantic at heart and I love any show of affection. I figured out that Valentine’s Day is not just about someone else showing you that they love you. It’s a day that you can show yourself how much you love yourself. From that day, I lavished myself on Valentine’s day with things that I didn’t allow myself during the course of the year. When I was on my own, I often sacrificed indulges for bills and life’s responsibilities. Valentine’s Day became the day that I permitted myself my heart’s desire. I would go for a massage. I ordered an expensive takeout dinner that I wouldn’t normally order. I drew myself a bath with candles, and bubbles. I would turn up some slow music and drink a glass of wine as I soaked. I watched romantic movies. I did whatever made me feel special about being by myself.

I’ve heard people gripe about  the commercialism of Valentine’s Day.  I understand the true spirit of it beyond the chocolates, roses and heart balloons. The true spirit is similar of other holidays. It’s an opportunity to show people that you care about how much you love them. We should do it everyday. We should it say it every day and show it in every way possible, but we don’t. With day-to-day life, it’s easy to forget to remind people how much you love them. It’s easy to get to a place where you take love for granted because it’s given quietly in our actions and through support. This day reminds everyone to take a moment to spend a time thinking about how to make the person that you love understand how much you love them. I think that even the most cynical person that buys flowers because of the day will still feel something when they see the reaction from the person they love. We all live for a smile and an excited response. This day celebrates love.

Despite what we like to think, we are all driven by love. Our music is all about love. It’s filled with tales about the loss of love, the desire for love or a celebration of having love. There are movies and television shows about  love and relationships. We argue about love. We earn money in pursuit of love and because we love our families. Love inspires volunteer efforts, restores communities, and creates non-profit agencies. Love  hires people for jobs like teachers, nurses, doctors, firemen, and cops. Love builds churches and congregations. It’s love that will keep you in a job. Love  starts restaurants. Love writes books. Love inspires. It is through love that we share our gifts with others. Everyone and everything wants to be loved.

It makes sense that there should be a day devoted to love. It’s everyone’s choice whether you want to devote every day, twice a week or once a month to showing love to the people that you care about. It’s important to remind them. Many people get confused that love requires a great deal of money. All it will cost you is two things, time and thought. Money will allow you to express those two sentiments. A gift without thought is no more loving than not giving a gift at all. If you spend time with someone, you start to learn who they are and what they like. If you purchase a gift thoughtfully, it doesn’t matter how much it costs you. A child can receive as much of a loving response for a macaroni necklace as a man can receive for a diamond necklace. It’s all about the thought behind it and knowing the person that you are with.(Disclaimer: If your woman like diamonds, I wouldn’t suggest you walk in with a macaroni necklace. Be smart about your gift. ) If you look at your gift as an expression of how much you love the person, you shouldn’t go wrong. Thank the one you love for loving you. If you are single, thank yourself for loving you.

Love is a force more formidable than any other. It is invisible – it cannot be seen or measured, yet it is powerful enough to transform you in a moment, and offer you more joy than any material possession could.-
Barbara de Angeli

Happy Valentine’s Day.

I love you all!