Valentine’s Day is a holiday that I love to hate, especially because I’ve spent almost all of them without a romantic partner. I love to roll my eyes at the couples holding hands while they wait for a table at The Cheesecake Factory. I take pleasure in sneering in disgust as I scroll through the professions of love between couples from my high school that are (surprisingly) still going strong.
I think my disdain toward Valentine’s Day is just the hater in me, though. If I’m being really honest, I’ve never felt lonely or sad on Valentine’s Day. For me, it’s never been about romantic love, and that’s because of my wonderful mother.
My mom has always been my Valentine. I can’t remember a single Valentine’s Day when I didn’t receive chocolate or cute pajamas from her. Even when I was really little, too young even to appreciate it, she made me a valentine. She reuses the same bag and card every year, and the wear and tear of both remind me of her consistent effort to make me feel loved.
The past few months have been tough for me, and I think I’m realizing what loneliness truly feels like for the first time in my life. Because of that, I’ve spent this Valentine’s Day reflecting on the relationships that make me feel like I have the entire world in my corner, even if they’re just one person; my relationship with my mom is the main one that comes to mind.
I have amazing, supportive friends whom I love so much, but at the end of the day, my mom will always be my biggest cheerleader. I woke up this Valentine’s Day to a text from her, showing me the gift basket she left on my nightstand for me to open when I visit home.
While I’m not the kind of girl who will ever refuse a gift, that’s not what matters most to me. Instead, I am struck by my mom’s thoughtfulness, and the effort she always puts in simply to show me how special I am.
It’s easy for me to forget that my mom isn’t just my mom; she has lived an entire life before me and continues to live a life outside of me. She carries the world’s weight on her shoulders every single day, yet she always manages to make me feel like I’m the only thing that matters. I’m in awe of her selflessness and strength. I can only hope that I put as much goodness into the world as she has put into mine.
I want to dedicate this Valentine’s Day to my beautiful mom. My favorite person to laugh with, my favorite person to cry on and the person responsible for all the best parts of me. It’s a really special thing to have a person in your life that makes every day feel like Valentine’s Day; I’m so lucky to experience the love that she gives.