v-day

It came. It went. No fanfare. There was the odd card from mom, box of chocolates from a principal, and bobblehead from a friend, but alas, no true valentine. I’d like to think that I’m bitter toward this day. I’m not. I’m indifferent. I don’t believe in the made-up version of professing your love on one certain day. It’s really like a reminder for men who can’t remember dates. How can you forget Valentine’s Day? The marketing geneses of the world are there to help you. So, if you screwed up your anniversary or maybe a birthday, it’s ok, V-day will take care of it.

A friend at work said she was not looking forward to the annual flowers that her husband would surely send her. She wanted something different, something that showed he was thinking. She said the first 2 years of V-day flowers were nice, but now the expected is blasé. I had no reaction to this discussion. Needless to say, by 3pm when I left her classroom, no flowers had arrived.

In college a friend with the double first name of Nell Frances (she’s Texas royalty) said that V-day to her was more a friendship day. She would sit in our dorm suite or dorm room writing notes in large valentine cards to her friends. She said she thought of V-day as a day where you tell your friends how much you love them, not just one significant person in your life. I always liked her take on the day.

When I was little my mother always made us something for V-day. It was something small and homemade. The one I remember the most was a giant red heart that she had cut out of construction paper and taped Hershey kisses all over and wrote happy valentine’s day. She'd left in my room so I'd see it when I woke up that morning. Now, she sends cards and sometimes there is money in them. Really, I miss the homemade things and the chocolate kisses. She always signs, “We Love You, Mom and Dad.” I doubt Dad even knows.

A few years ago I went to see the “Vagina Monologues” with an married friend. I believe her husband was out of town and thus I won her date. I think she was a bit embarrassed by the topics. It was a fitting topic for V-day in my mind. It opened up my mind to what women should really talk about. It certainly prepared me for my future love of “Sex and The City.”

At five minutes to midnight on V-day today, I’m going to bed. With no one to kiss goodnight or say thank you for my flowers I’ll send a kiss to blogland and wish you love and happiness. May your true valentines be plenty and may you cherish them everyday.