Why Valentine’s Day is my Favorite

In high school, I came to a somewhat unusual conclusion: Valentine’s Day is my favorite holiday. Upon telling people this, I get a variety of reactions from shocked to disbelief. “Why?” is also a common question. Most surprising is the fact that I’m really not a Romantic. I’m rarely in tune with my emotions and I don’t easily show affection. So, why is it my favorite? For me Valentines Day is about more than romance. It’s a day where we are reminded that loving self-lessly is the best way to love.

In the film Love Actually, Hugh Grant says that, “… love actually is all around.” This statement becomes the central message of the movie, convincing us that love is a part of every interaction that we have everyday. Love drives and motivates us to try harder and be better, not for ourselves, but for others (or those we love). For me, this is the best part of Valentine’s Day. Love—be it parental, brotherly, sisterly, friendly, romantic—becomes more potent and it’s visible everywhere—it is all around.

Example: On the train yesterday, I observed a mother listening to her teenaged daughter’s latest social drama. The mom was so interested and gave her kid her full attention. The story seemed completely shallow, but because she loved her daughter, she listened and gave helpful advice. More importantly, the mother didn’t call her daughter’s feelings unnecessary or belittle her, but really heard her. This conversation seemed so small; however, in that simple moment, her love shined through by just listening.

On this holiday, we should tell or show the people we care for that we love them, just the way they are. Our actions should follow the mother’s—just love. It’s about looking past the immaturity, chaos, flaws and frustrations that become a part of our relationships and loving in-spite of them. How pure this is.

One of my standard accessories is a black heart shaped pendant that I wear on a silver chain. I used to joke that it was a reflection of my “cold-hearted, logically driven nature” but that’s a lie. For me, it’s symbolic of selfless love. I don’t want to be egocentric; instead, I want to put others first everyday.

This is what Valentine’s Day is really about. It’s not a day for single people to feel bad about them selves or a reason to buy something lavish or a time when candy companies make bank (although I know they do). At its heart, it’s a day where we put those who matter most ahead of ourselves. Imagine if we lived everyday like that… what could change?

 

 

 

 

 

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