2/14

I have found a topic that married people and single people can agree on....Valentine's Day.  Most married couples when asked about Valentine's Day will respond that it is "simply another day."  While most single people comment that it's "an annoying Hallmark holiday."   February 14th....the biggest day of love and pity as far as I am concerned.  For young couples in love and school children, this is a day to send Valentines, eat chocolate, and wear red.  Where many singles will remind you that Valentine's Day is simply a day to remind you (just in case you forgot) that you are still single....and everyone knows it. Regardless, I think both married couples and single people would be ok with the day going away and really being "just another day."

I would be lying if I acted as if this wasn't my attitude for most of my adult life.  Each Valentine's Day I would mope around, watch chick flicks that simply reiterated that I didn't have a love story like the one on the screen, and have a full blown pity party.  (Sounds really pathetic now that I put it in print.)  I felt like I walked around all day with a big S for "single" on my shirt.

This year though I have decided that I have given Valentine's Day way too much power over me.  Yes, just the other day I was telling my students that Valentine's Day with no Valentine isn't nearly as exciting with one, but focusing on what I don't have rather than what I do have is a thing of the past and so I am trying to look at 2/14 with a new resolve.  This made me want to stop and find out...just how did Valentine's Day begin in the first place?  And so I did a little research on the great St. Valentine.  Although, history isn't totally clear on the roots of this love filled day, we do know that there was a man named Valentine, a soldier in the Roman army, whose noble actions are the root of this day.  It seems that this day's original intentions were to spread love to those who mattered most in your life.  This day isn't just for love sick couples! ;)

So tomorrow when the world is once again saturated with red, pink, and chocolate I will be out there, too.  In the secret of my heart, a Valentine from an anonymous (or un-anonymous) admirer would be lovely, I hope to instead let those in my life who mean so much to me know that I love them and am thankful for the love I receive in return from them.  Again, this year for me is all about focusing on the "haves" and not the "have nots."   I hope that I can focus on the love I have in my life.  Love of family, friends, my students, and mostly the love given from Love Himself.

May all of you know love in your lives this Valentine's Day and every other day as well!