Table for one

Taking back Valentines Day

With Valentine’s Day approaching, let’s be honest, the only people excited are those in a relationship. For some people, Feb. 14 is a painful reminder of  loved ones who are no longer around, relationships that have faded or feelings we can’t get past. 

As someone who has never had a valentine, it feels like just another day. However, the older I’ve gotten, the more I have realized that the real reason we celebrate Valentine’s Day is to celebrate love. While we typically celebrate love between two people, love is not confined to a number. Why not spend the day celebrating those that love you even if it’s not in a romantic way? 

One thing I want  to focus on and celebrate this year is self love and growth. Knowing your self worth and finding the value in who you are is a huge part of living a life you love. This year I encourage you to do something for yourself, to recognize where you are and how far you have come on your self love journey.

Wherever you find yourself on the scale of self love, I hope you will take at least one day out of the year to appreciate who you are and who you want to become. 

Even if you aren’t participating in Valentine’s Day with a significant other, you can still take part by celebrating those you love and those who love you. One thing my mother has always done to show my sister and I love and appreciation, is having candy and notes ready for us at the end of the day or even sending stuff to our school. Even though we didn’t have a special someone waiting for us, knowing that my mom would go out of her way to show us she cared or even surprise us meant a lot. It definitely made our day ten times better. 

When it comes to friends, I personally have some pretty great ones and I love to celebrate them any chance I get. Some of my friends are more like family and the people you love deserve to know you appreciate them. 

If you have the opportunity this year, spending Valentine’s Day with your friends could allow those of us who are single the chance to really feel loved even if it isn’t the most traditional way to spend the day. 

If you relate to the feeling of dread as Feb. 14 approaches, I encourage you to try spending the day celebrating in a way you haven’t before. Instead of trying to avoid the thought of Valentine’s Day and the loneliness it has the ability to bring, choose to spend the day honoring those who you truly love and cherish.