As someone who has been in relationships during most of my young adult life, it may come as a surprise when I say I’m excited for my first Valentine’s Day as a single adult. As a matter of fact, I was ecstatic to celebrate every holiday as a newly single person. As crazy as it sounds, being single is something I have never experienced before. For most of my teenage years and part of my young adult life, I always had someone to call my partner and bring along the journey with me. However, life had a different plan for me and this year I am preparing to spend Valentine’s Day single, which will most likely be the first of many and I plan to make the most of it.
The main reason I am excited for Valentine’s Day is because I genuinely love the holiday. I love the idea of a holiday that celebrates love in all forms. Which made me think, “Why do we value romantic love more than any other type of love?” Love is important in almost any relationship with another person, not just romantic, so why do we put romantic love on such a pedestal? I wanted to take this opportunity to truly rethink the definition of love. This year I wanted to celebrate and cultivate the relationships around me. I thought back to when I was in elementary school and decorated boxes to put valentines in. I loved giving and receiving valentines from my classmates! However, I didn’t do it because I was “in love” with my childhood friends but rather because I liked showing them that I cared about them and valued them as a friend. I decided to take that same childhood concept and carry it with me into my single adulthood. I decided to consciously show my friends and family that I love them this holiday rather than dwelling on the fact that I’m single.
I also wanted to rewrite my own narrative and what it meant to be single. To me, being single doesn’t mean being lonely or sad; it means being independent and committed to loving myself and those who have stuck by me longer than any romantic partner ever has. Me and my friends have celebrated “Galentine’s Day” every year since we could remember and it is always a nice reminder that platonic relationships are just as important and fulfilling as romantic relationships. If Galentine’s Day isn’t up your alley, you don’t have to celebrate it! You don’t even have to celebrate Valentine’s Day if it’s not your style.
Valentine’s Day is only as fun and enjoyable as you choose to make it. If you look at it with a negative attitude, you are not going to end up enjoying yourself as you would if you decided to make the best of it. Whether you are single or in a relationship, you can make it a memorable holiday no matter what as long as you are with the people you care about and show them how much you love and appreciate them!