Can I just keep it real?  It's Valentine's Day again and I don't have a date yet! In fact, I haven't had a Valentines Day date in five years!!  That means that during this season when the symbol of love in the person of Cupid brings out his little bow and starts shooting arrows from heart to heart, he always manages to miss me.  It also means that when the aisles at the grocery stores, CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid, fill up with cards, stuffed animals, flowers, gifts and boxes of chocolates, I don't get anything. 
It means that while all of my friends have been at the movies, I've been at home watching re-runs; while all of my friends were out being wined and dined, I was at home eating TV dinners and drinking water.   Valentines Day is the day when a young man has decided that for at least one day out of 365, he would be the perfect gentleman to a young lady, unfortunately for five years; I have not been that lady on the receiving end. 

How has that made me feel?  I was sad.  I felt lonely. I felt left out.  I would be crying and wishing that I wasn't at home by myself. And though I think I'm a "dime, that's top of the line" for at least 364 days of the year, on this one day, I have sometimes even felt as though I was not pretty enough to take part in Valentines Day, but not this year!

This year, I've done some research. Though there are many stories of the history of Valentine's Day, I like the one about St. Valentine, who was thrown into prison for trying to help some Christians escape from prison.  While he was in jail, waiting to be beheaded, he fell in love with the Emperor of Rome's daughter.  The morning of his scheduled execution, he sent the emperor's daughter a love letter and signed it, "from your Valentine."  Valentine's Day is a day of love.  No more will I be left out of this day of love...because I too have a heart for people.  I love people.  I live my life helping people.  I get a joy out of buying gifts and cards and giving flowers and candy throughout the year, so why should I be or do anything differently on this day.

Keep Valentine’s Day Simple

Valentine's Day can be as simple as it was when we were kids when our parents would buy those boxes of cards that say, I love you; be my Valentine; I'm Yours; You're mine; Let's be friends and other loving remarks. However, it can be complicated with our superficial desires and beliefs that we can find Mr. Right in or on one specific day.   And although, I believe that
one day, I will be symbolically shot by Cupid with his little bow and arrow from my heart to heart of the man of my dreams, if it doesn't happen on February 14th, I'm okay with it.  Until then, like Bubba from Forest Gump, I will live my life believing that, "Life is like a box of chocolates....never know what you're gonna get" but until then, I will live it, one day at a time, hoping for the best, but loving with a pure and sincere heart for people. 

For those of you who have a Valentine's Day date, enjoy your day, have fun and be safe! For those of you, who like me, still don’t have a date; enjoy your TV dinner, your water, your re-runs, your day and yourself.