A Day to Celebrate Love

I hate being topical, but here goes. In four short hours Valentine’s Day 2016 will arrive. I know many of you may already have begun celebration in earnest. I also know that there are many more people who don’t celebrate or hate Valentine’s Day for a variety of reasons.

I spent a number of awkward childhood and teenage years having my feelings hurt because I did not have a Valentine. I took this to be a sign of something wrong with me. Why was I not worthy of the affection of another human person in that special way?

No, I didn’t want to have obscenely biological Valentine’s celebrations. Well, I didn’t want that until much later. I wanted someone to want a card from me. I wanted someone to want to give me a card. I wanted someone to hold my little hand and just spend time with me. That was LONELY.

My Mom, being the Saint of a person that she has always been, saw how hurt I was and always did something nice for me. I particularly remember her buying me a stack of Comic Books one year. It was the first time I had ever read The Flash. It was sweet, thoughtful, and to this day still, one of the nicest acts anyone has ever done for me.

That is really what I think it is worth writing about. I know 10 people right now who won’t celebrate Valentine’s Day because they have bitter memories of days gone by. I hear these people express these sour grapes in ways like,” It is a Hallmark Holiday anyway.” or,” The floral industry conspired this to popularize rose sales during their peak growing season.”

I won’t criticize that mindset. I had it for YEARS. If you are holding on to loneliness or hurt and cannot break free of it I am so very sorry. I want to suggest that there is a much better way.

Be my Mom. Well, No, she is absolutely unique. Let’s go with be LIKE my Mom. She is worthy of emulation.

Instead of sitting around feeling sorry for yourself because no one is spending the time to make you feel special, go and spend the time to make someone else feel special. I would say that if you feel lonely that the simple act of focusing on something other than your own pain will probably make you feel better anyway. I know that at least a few people reading this are objecting to the idea because they don’t feel like anyone wants their attention. Well, Brothers and Sisters, you couldn’t be more wrong.

Pretty much everywhere there are old folks homes full of the elderly who would love nothing more than someone to sit with them, read to them, talk, or just hang around. Take your favorite book and go corrupt the elderly. It will be fun. Cthulhu will approve.

On the opposite end of the age spectrum, there are tons of babies in need of comfort at the nearest hospital. I challenge anyone to feel lonely when rocking a newborn. Babies have a Magic all their own. The old folks may not enjoy 50 shades of Grey (you perverts), but the babies only hear the regular tone of your voice and they are comforted. I cannot help you with any nurses you may offend. I suggest instead of housewife porn take Where the Wild Things Are. Less trouble.

More likely you know someone that is lonely and unhappy because of the season. In all the years that I hurt and hated the season I never once took the time to do anything for someone else. I was stupid, selfish, and inwardly focused. I should have thought about people who had it as bad or much worse than I did.

Make that the reason to love Valentine’s Day.