The Valentine’s Day Massacre: Part 2

February 14, 2012

Valentine’s Day is here, and I will spend it working and waiting to spend some much-wanted time with my lovely Mary. There will be drinks, maybe some comedy movies, and the overall enjoyment of each other’s company.

Of course, that’s something we try to do EVERY day. And I love it.

Why is today different?

It depends who you ask. I could say that I find the entire concept of Valentine’s Day disturbing since we feel we need a single day to show someone we love how we feel even though we aren’t on this Earth for very long and every moment is precious when we find that special someone to whom we wish to devote our lives…

Or maybe I think giant stuffed bears are the modern white elephant.

It’s hard to try and do something nice and try to be there every day, even when you’re tired, even when you have work to do, even when there are pressing matters to attend to, but that’s not the point. It’s especially hard when you have to try and make ends meet and you’re not sure if next month will be okay.

I’d love to go out to a nice restaurant, watch a movie, walk through a park and watch the stars come out, go to a bar and get good beer while great rock music plays…

But it’s not the kind of thing that can be done on a regular basis right now. I know that and it hurts. Like all things, though, there are workarounds. If writing and teaching have taught me anything, it’s that there are always a dozen ways of doing something, and if none of them work, you can always find a dozen more.

I’m not going to do something overtly special today. There’s no reason other than words on a calendar. My Valentine’s Day is called Loving my Fiancé. Always. Every day. With a text message. A hug. A kiss. Holding her hand when she’s feeling down. Whatever I can do.

Valentine’s Day is about sugar and flowers. Real love is about everything else.