Lovely weekend for Love!

I acknowledge completely that its a commercialized holiday based somewhat loosely on a decapitated saint.  (I'm still not sure how that happened.)  Regardless I still love valentines day!  What other holiday is dedicated purely to the ideas of love and happiness.   I have friends that argue that you don't need a designated day to be happy, and that often the effect is lost on those who are single...  

Second point first...  I've never found being single on Valentines day to be a downer though... you just have to think about it differently.   Boy-girl love is not the only kind (though its awesome when you DO have it, I'm not going to lie) that can be appreciated.   There is also love of family, and friends, the love of happiness itself.   Valentines day to me is a reminder that there is a great deal OF love in the world, and a great deal TO love in the world.  Its an excuse to wander a beautiful city.  To see the lights from a hundred windows refracted and reflected on the surface of a harbor (like along the harbor walk in Boston).  Its a great day to hang out with friends, have breakfast with family... sit around the table and chat about life.  To pass out valentines reminding strangers on the subway to smile!

As for not needing a day to be happy...  of course I agree!  One should make every effort to be happy all the time!  However, riding the subway to and from school its impossible not to notice that people rarely are happy, or take the time to notice the joy in other people or other aspects of their life.  They're too busy trying to forget that they're crammed on a train, or stuck in an office, or too cold or too hot.  I don't think it hurts to have a day were people are forced to remember that beauty exists and that it should be embraced in whatever form it takes...

There was an editorial in the Valentines day edition of the NY Times that I liked written by a former Jewelry store owner. It spoke to the idea of what a valentines day gift should be.  The short version is that the point of a gift is that it comes from the heart and it shouldn't at all matter how much it costs.  I wanted to share it because I believe it to be true.  Make a card, write a story, sing a song.  People will appreciate it more if they know it comes from your heart and that you mean it....   This is what valentines day is all about to me...