We have all heard these lines:
"Valentine's Day is a corporate holiday invented by corporations to sell candy and stuff."
"It's just a holiday invented by Hallmark to sell cards."
"I hate Valentine's Day because I don't have anyone."
If you have not uttered one of these statements at one point in your life, you are kidding yourself.
If, for some reason, you still rely on these platitudes whenever Valentine's Day comes around, we have this to say:
Shut up!
Expressions like the ones previously mentioned have become just as cliche on Valentine's Day as hearts, candy, flowers and, especially, greeting cards.
Grow up and stop complaining about something that has no effect on your life. If you don't care about Valentine's Day, why exhaust yourself complaining about it?
If you think Valentine's Day is an important holiday but you hate it because you reside in a state of perpetual loneliness, then you need to get over yourself.
Chances are, life isn't as bad as you think it is.
Just because you may not have a significant other to share this holiday with does not mean you shouldn't celebrate it.
Before you write off Valentine's Day and go into your corner, curl up into a ball and cry, think about ways that you direct your emotions to more positive outlets.
For instance, Valentine's Day doesn't have to be about romantic love. Everyone has friends and family for whom they have strong feelings. Wouldn't it be a better use of time to remind these people, whether it be your parents, siblings or best friends, just how much you love and appreciate them?
You could accomplish this by doing something as simple as sending a nice text saying, "Happy Valentine's Day!"
For the guys, you could call up some buddies and go grab a drink or some food.
You could call your mom or your dad and tell them how much you appreciate their support and encouragement.
If you have a platonic friend of the opposite sex, you could still have fun and go see a movie with them. Who knows, maybe that friend who's "just a friend" could turn out to be more.
The point is that Valentine's Day is not going away anytime soon. There's no point in turning into a curmudgeon, sitting at home and pouting about how much you hate this holiday.
Life is too damn short to be mad all the time, especially on a day that's supposed to be about happiness.
Valentine's Day might seem like it's reserved for those with significant others. However, it should also be a reminder to those who are single that there are people around them who are just as important.
