Valentine’s Day is absolutely a beautiful time of year, when the love is so thick in the air that it’s nearly contagious. Unfortunately, it smothers some of us. Is it because we’re single? Easy with the accusations; I’m single by choice, I turn down girls all the time, really good looking ones too! Okay, okay, yes, the smothering may have a little bit to do with the fact that everyone is prancing around with their significant others, giddy with excitement about the love that they share for one another, but what about the rest of us? The problem for us is that we’ve been in happy relationships like that before and can recall what that is like whenever we see a happy couple walk down the street on a Wednesday. However, on Valentine’s Day, if you don’t notice, then your heart probably has as much pulse as those on a Hallmark card.
But don’t worry, there’s hope; we still have our other single friends to enjoy this glorious day with, and honestly, those are some of the greatest relationships that we are ever going to have. On this day we should take time to acknowledge and give thanks for our wonderful friends who are here for us when things are going well for us- every bit as much as they are when we’re down in the dumps. I say this because too often, we take our friends for granted; this can be especially true when just entering a relationship with a significant other, for this person can become the center of attention. So for those of you happily spoken for, don’t forget those wonderful people who were there long before you first hooked up with your longtime boyfriend or girlfriend and are probably still waiting for their invite to lunch.
This is a day that you can see the beautiful thing that others share in admiration, not envy or malice. Not only can we admire some of these fruitful relationships from the sidelines, but also we should really take note on what makes these relationships bud into colorful flowers. Yes, we may not be involved in a long tenured relationship currently, but that doesn’t mean we should fail to recognize what makes other relationships around us so great. On the contrary, we should praise those relationships for their hard work and good example.
The final thing in this seemingly emotionally tiring day is to evaluate our past relationships – the things that worked, the things that didn’t, and the reason that what once was didn’t pass the test of time. I’m not saying to sulk over your most recent fling that didn’t pan out, but truly sit down and reflect on all your past experiences, because if we don’t learn from our past, then that is the worst act of neglect we can commit. It can be as simple as a five minute reflection, or as detailed as an excel spreadsheet, but it is important for you to gauge what would be most effective. Some words of caution, for those of you in regret due to ending a past relationship too hastily: if all issues could be easily resolved then it wouldn’t be out of the question to consider some rekindling. However, it is just as important that a relationship isn’t forced back into place, because – hey, maybe the timing isn’t right. These are just a few of the ways that you could productively spend your Singles Awareness Day, and remember – Valentine’s isn’t the only love worth sharing.
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