Valentine's Day? What?

As the world prepares to celebrate Valentine’s Day, I just realized that I don’t.  Really?  You heard that right.  I do not celebrate Valentine’s Day. 

Yes, really. 

I do like Valentine's Day cupcakes.

I have never celebrated Valentine’s Day with the "love of my life"…but…but…but…after seeing a commercial that says the average Valentine’s Day gift costs $130.00, maybe I should re-think my decision.  Hmmmmmm.

Well, maybe not.

Absolutely not.

I actually have no desire to celebrate Valentine’s Day.  I stopped celebrating somewhere in the late 1990’s.  I was in my early thirties.  I was single.

The last time I celebrated I got fed up with the whole “expectations” thing.

Valentine’s Day is the opportunity to show the world that someone out there loves you.  Somewhere along the way it got messed up when the “show” part came into play.

There are so many “must haves” for this day….

Must have…dozen roses delivered to the office.

Must have…brand new dress for the evening.

Must have…dinner reservations at a fine eating establishment.

Must have…handsome date.

Must have…beautiful box of assorted chocolates.

Must have…something big, shinny and gaudy.

What if you don’t get the “must haves?  What if there is no “someone special?” 

This is when it can get ugly.

I just don’t think this is fair. 

Do you?

I have lived on both side of the Valentine’s Day drama.  I was a single girl in my thirties hoping for all of the “must haves.”  Some years were good and some years were not so good.  Some years were down right brutal.  Those were an in-my-face kind of no-one-loves-me kind of day that I wished would end and would end fast.

No flowers.  Not date.  No phone call.

Not fun.

The day that I made the decision to no longer celebrate this day, the pressure was gone.

The darkness that had crept into my heart was lifted. 

I made a choice and it felt right.

I rarely think about Valentine’s Day any more.  Last year it came and went without even a mere mention. 

No expectations.  No pressure.

That decision was freeing.

It has now been about 15 years since I celebrated Valentine’s Day and I must say the decision I made so many years ago still feels right.  I don’t miss it at all.

Several years later God blessed me with the best husband imaginable.  I love him more and more every single day.  But even so, I refuse to buy into such a day that causes pain for so many. 

Because I was one of them. 

I know how it feels and it is NOT fair.

I refuse to allow the world to tell me what to do and when to love.  

I try to LOVE in a BIG WAY… every single day.

The last Valentine’s Day gift I received was a mini-Bible with the "love passage" highlighted. 

So fitting to just leave it here.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails.  I Corinthians 13: 4-8 (NIV) 

 

Thanks for visiting!  

Put some sunshine on your face today…. 

it will feel good,

Donna

xo