She Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

In case you don’t know what Friday is, I’m giving you a heads-up: it’s Valentine’s Day!! Now, if that doesn’t excite you, well, you’re not alone. With so much commercial-hype leading up to it, this national “sweethearts” day has become less about a romantic, heart-felt gesture to celebrate love, and more about buying something impressive to prove your love. Don’t fall for it, though. Romance is still alive and well!

As it is with many girls, the seed of romance was planted in my impressionable young mind early on. I remember every Valentine’s Day throughout grade school, how we all had to give a valentine card to every student in our class–even if we didn’t know them, like them, or thought they had “cooties”. I took my time sorting through those cards that came in a package of 30, finding just the right one for my secret crush, making sure I also included in the envelope one of those tiny candy hearts with an imprinted “love” message on it before sealing the flap very tightly.

After all the cards were placed in our personally decorated boxes, we had to wait until we got home to read them. I often experienced a let-down when I finished with that task because I didn’t get what I had expected or what I needed to feel “special.”  This pattern of expectation followed by disappointment became my shadow, following me around for years. I didn’t know back then that love is one of those indefinable things that wouldn’t be found in a box: not even one with beautiful red hearts pasted all over it.

Now, for those who don’t have that “special someone” in your life at the moment–myself included–don’t allow that to make you feel bad or left out on Valentine’s Day. Take heart: be your own Valentine and celebrate the wonderful, amazing person you are! Treat yourself to something decadent, spend time with your friends or just snuggle up with your 4-legged companion who always loves you unconditionally (which sounds mighty good to me!). Please don’t mope around and convince yourself that something is missing from your life. It’s not. You must be willing to love yourself first if you want someone else to truly love you. Maybe it’s time to stop looking for love in all the wrong places and focus on your own heart.

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

“Love is the one force, the one energy, of which we are all made. Love is who we are; it is the equivalent of life itself. Love knows no judgment or criticism. Love just is.” James Van Praagh