Valentine's Day

While it's good to acknowledge Valentine's Day as a day of love and celebrating love, it doesn't mean you have to be romantically involved to participate. While Cupid WANTS to create love, he's not so short-sighted to eliminate singles from his agenda. If you don't have a sweetheart, ask yourself: do you have a mom? A grandmother? A dad? Children? A friend? Call them. Do something nice for them, the people who YOU love.

Valentine's Day isn't a day of receiving. Much like romantic love, you need to give as much as you receive. It's not about getting a card or chocolate or going out to dinner with someone who adores you. Valentine's Day can be about acknowledging the love you have for another. Not the love someone feels for you, but the love that emanates from your being because another human being makes you feel happiness.

I can't emphasize enough that Valentine's Day doesn't have to be romantic. Too many magazines and TV shows tell us that we have to feel romance all the time.
While that sounds like a lovely idea, the reality is even for the people who make us swoon, it we don't feel romantic all the time. Remember back when you were in grade school, creating Valentine's for everyone in your class? You weren't just receiving the cards, you were giving many away. Again, you have to give to get.

So when you are considering a restaurant you want someone to take you to, give equal time to look into a place you might want to actually TAKE someone who means a lot to you. Think about the reaction a card to your mom, grandma, dad or sister will create. And how about a few of your closest friend? Perhaps the ones who don't have plans for Valentine's Day either? What can you do for them? Here's a great Valentine's Day you can consider when you make it about others who mean so much to you.

Valentine's Day:

Coffee with a friend before work. Meet someone who you know does not have a Valentine. Buy them coffee and take just 20 minutes to pay attention to them. Then, whether you sent a card or not, give a few members of your immediate family a call.

Lunch with someone. It doesn't have to be the one who you want to send you flowers. It can be your dad or mom or sister. You can call them and meet them for a quick bite on your lunch hour. And if they have plans or can't get away, call someone else.

Dinner with a group. Not everyone has a date on Valentine's Day. Your kitchen needs some love. So fill it with people who mean a lot to you. Invite over a single mom or two and let them take their kids with them. Set a little table for the small ones and a big girl table for you and the moms. Have sparkling cider for the kids and let them use a cute glass. You don't even have to cook much. Have everyone bring something. Assign one to bring a salad and appetizer. You can do a main dish that can be as easy as a frozen lasagna. If there is a third mom, have her bring wine and a dessert. It's that simple.

Now you aren't the sad sack sitting around and sighing that you have nothing to do on Valentine's Day. You have elevated yourself to the one who has her act together and is a great friend to boot.

Happy Valentine's Day!!