Ever since the Grammy’s started winding down last night, I noticed everyone’s Facebook statuses changed from “OMG WHY HASN’T BIEBER WON ANYTHING>!>!>?” to “Valentine’s Day sucks (because I’m single).”
I have noticed the exact same thing for years.
This time, I sat down to think. I’ve had a few Valentine’s Days here and there while being single. I don’t remember being that upset about it. In fact, most of the time I remember telling myself “Sweet I don’t have to buy an expensive gift!”
But before you tell me I have no idea why you’re upset… I get it. It’s about that one feeling that everyone strives for; love. That feeling you get when you’ve had an awful day at work and the only thing you want to do is go home, find that someone special waiting for you in bed… You don’t say anything, you just hug, get under the covers, put on a movie, and relax. When that happens, you forget about why your day even sucked.
Maybe we should change some things about this holiday and cut some corners. People that don’t have boyfriends and girlfriends shouldn’t sulk. Valentine’s Day is about love. Not necessarily loving a specific person and considering all hope lost if you don’t have that luxury.
Find something or someone that you love and do something about it on this day. Do you love your mother? Make some plans to cook her dinner, take her to a movie, sit down and have that chat that you always try to avoid just because she’s not “cool enough to get it.”
With the economy and regular, every day occurrences, most people are really having a tough time out there. I think we should make it personally mandatory that on Valentine’s Day we wake up, and target someone.
No, no, no, don’t shoot them.
Target someone and make sure they know they are loved. Whether they are a best friend, family member, significant other, even a complete stranger. No one should ever feel alone in this world. Don’t give into those ads and commercials either! Many people’s first complaint is that this is a Hallmark holiday and it’s just to get you to buy cards and gifts. That doesn’t have to be true! I used Microsoft Works card templates to create a nice Valentine’s Day card for the GF this year. I included a picture of us, typed a message, and it looked much better than anything in the store. It also gleams with originality!
I think we should go back to doing things like we did in elementary school. Everyone gets a Valentine’s Day card!
There will be those that unite with their other single friends to have a few drinks tonight as a rebellion against this holiday. By doing that, you’re celebrating the very spirit of the holiday you wish to rebel against. You are gathering with the friends that you love to have a fun night and feel good about each other’s company. Job well done!
Anyway, this whole thing may not make any sense and that’s fine. As long as I know what I’m talking about. Sometimes I do.
This day is about the people that love another in a friend, family, or relationship type level. The people that help each other out and improve the quality of their lives and everyone around them. I feel bad when I see people get upset because they don’t have a significant other to spend the day with.
So here’s an assignment for everyone to take on for the rest of the night. Find five or ten people that have helped you out this year. Find some friends who stuck with you through some hard times. Find a family member that gave you the help you needed and gave you some advice. Find the parent that you really don’t want to admit that you love but are really appreciative that you’re still allowed to live at home despite your age and level of annoyance. Thank them, tell them you love them, and make them smile.
For me, I’d like to say thank you and I love you to my amazing girlfriend. Whether this sounds egotistical or not I don’t care. People who know us know that we’re an excellent team. We help each other out every day and have an unbelievable friendship and relationship because of it.
Big thank you to Alan for giving me my first paid writing gig. Thank you to Elyse for finding the ad for this blogging job. Thank you to Frank for giving me the opportunity to voice my opinion on this site.
Thank you to my father who let’s us live under his roof while we try to save money and prepare to get our first place.
Thank you to my friends who stuck with me through the passing of my mother. You all let me know how important I am in some of your lives and it meant the world to me. I wouldn’t have the motivation to be successful without any of you.
BIG thank you to anyone who reads my PucksandPitchforks blogs as well as my Patch material. You are the sole reason why I do this.
Another thank you to anyone who I correspond with on Facebook and Twitter. Those social networking sites have made the possibilities endless. I can make countless friends, acquaintances, gain readers, and reach people all over the world. Without you guys, no one would give a crap about what I have to say.
Finally, and thank you to the New Jersey Devils and the bianconeri! (Juventus!)
Watching you guys play gives me a few hours a day away from the real world.
From now until February 2012, we can accomplish great things. You will get that job you want, you will get into that school you want to go to, you will lose that weight you want to lose. Just be grateful and thankful for your friends and family and always take some time to help out the people you care about the most.
Remember, Valentine’s Day is just one day. Love never goes away. It’s around every day of every week of every year.
Thank you for listening.
-Andrew