We all know that February 14th is Valentine’s Day, the day of love, celebrated by many people in various ways. My whole life, I have celebrated the day of love with family, friends, and now pets; however, that love has never really transcended to myself. It has always been external to other people, which is so needed; however, I often forget about myself.
Last year for Valentine’s Day, I made a red and pink cake for myself to celebrate the event, and that was something that I found such joy in. After Miley Cyrus’s song I Can Buy Myself Flowers (Miley Cyrus, 2023), I saw all over social media that people were buying themselves flowers. That is something that I have never done, I think it is really empowering because everyone deserves flowers.
A lot of my articles have been about self-love, and that is a journey that I am very new to, still on, and probably forever will be—and that is perfectly normal. Certain events are ones people do not like because they may bring up something from their past or might be a reminder not of their loneliness but of their solitude. And for me, I quite like my solitude these days.
This Valentine’s Day, I will be making plans with my friends –– the ones who truly uplift me, the real loves in my life— the people who have been in my corner for so long and don’t stick around for just a season but for a lifetime. I will also be celebrating Valentine’s Day with my wonderful family, who have taught me what love is, what love shouldn’t be, and who love me every day in their own special ways.
Most importantly, I will be spending my Valentine’s Day with my little Valentine—my beautiful baby dog—who has actually shown me what unconditional love looks and feels like. I can always count on him to be there beside me, and he never disappoints. Love is actually all around me. It is in the people I meet and the things I do. But I cannot forget that the most important Valentine is myself, because I am the one who shows up for myself every day, whether I notice it or not.
I really suggest people to bake a cake because it’s the little Pinterest vibes that can truly spark joy, put your mind onto something else, and let you enjoy a sweet treat that you made from your hard work… And it’s red! This year, I may actually buy myself a nice little bouquet to celebrate the love around me, as well as buy flowers for other people I love dearly. Because love is not just something that is received—it is reciprocal. It is a two-way street.
This day is about celebrating the love in someone’s life, the love in my life, and the love that I give. I’ve heard somewhere that love is the closest thing we have to magic, and that is something I hold so true to myself. As I grow older and life becomes slightly more challenging, love is one of the many things that gets me through my day, always puts a smile on my face, and reminds me that I am not alone in a corner—that there will always be people in my life.
But love is also a choice—and I choose love every time.
Happy Valentine’s Day to all who celebrate, and I’m thinking of those for whom this may be a challenging day. For those who struggle to find that daily love, I hope that love finds you in a way that makes you want to capture it and hold it in a bottle forever.