Valentine's Day Thoughts

A lot of people hate Valentine's Day. In fact, I think in my generation of cynics it's almost cool to hate the holiday. People go on about the evils of Hallmark and the calories of candy and all such bitterness weeks before the holiday even happens.

Well, I have a confession to make. I've never felt that way. I am a romantic at heart, I guess. But I love Valentine's Day. Maybe that makes me uncool. Don't care anymore.

I've had a lot of sucky Valentine's Days. For example, the time this high school friend of mine decided she was going to ask my ex-boyfriend (who I was still totally in love with) to the Valentine's Day dance that WE WERE GOING TO TOGETHER! So I had to spend the whole night with him there, but with someone else. Ugh. That was a particularly painful night.

Or, going further back, in 4th grade when I sent a "special" Valentine to the boy I had a crush on (named Todd) and he showed it to everyone and they all laughed about it. I remember sitting at my desk, hearing them whispering about it, wanting to totally die!

Then there were the single Valentine's Days or the ones where I was dating the guys who hated the holiday and refused to do anything that required any effort. Saying that they didn't need a holiday to "prove" their love and that they didn't like when there were "expectations." And yet instead of letting them know that it bothered me deep down, I pretended to not care. I was too cool for Valentine's Day, oh yes!! I wasn't one of those silly, materialistic girls who put value on a holiday made up by Halmark--not me!!

Yeah right. Deep inside the girlie girl in me wanted nothing more than a bouquet of flowers, delivered. Or a piece of jewelry in a box. Or a box of freaking chocolates even. It doesn't have to be expensive. It doesn't even have to be creative! I just wanted to share in the long-standing tradition of the day. Is that wrong to want?

Guys - when a girl says she doesn't care about V-Day, SHE IS LYING. She's protecting herself from being hurt. She feels that if she doesn't "want" anything, she won't be let down. And when her friends ask the next day (as they invariably do) what she did or got from her SO, she can save face by saying she didn't want anything to begin with.

But she did. Deep down in her heart, she did.

There is one person in my life who has never let me down on Valentine's Day. And that's my dad. He always sends a box of chocolates without fail. Every year. No matter if I'm nearby or 3,000 miles away. He delivers. And so no matter where I am in my life or what boy I am dating or not dating, I can rest assured I will always have one valentine. He probably has no idea how much that has meant to me over the years and I certainly haven't always deserved it. But I think that's why I can now, even after many disapointments, still honestly say I love Valentine's Day.

So thanks Dad! And Happy Valentine's Day everyone!! :)

Marianne