Yesterday as it was February 14th, I saw a lot of posts from young (single) women poking fun at their singleness on Valentines Day. Posts with funny single memes and posts with their dogs captioning their pet the love of their life. I also saw the classic group of girls photo with #GALentinesDay. I laughed, I smiled, I was happy to see the positive and humorous energy from all of my fellow single ladies on my instagram feed. I saw those posts and was encouraged by the women who felt enough in themselves being single and celebrating love without a man in their life (and yes I could rant and rant about how no women should define their worth by a guy, but I won't this time).
When I was in elementary school, I loved Valentine's Day. Seriously, it was my favorite holiday at school. I would spend hours making homemade Valentines for everyone in my class (I even had a friend who always hosted and Valentines' making party each year), writing personal messages to all my friends and attaching a sweet little treat with my cards. Then, in class after we passed out our valentines, we would have a big party as a whole school and just eat candy and have fun. I was eight, so of course that made the best day ever!
Elementary school is a lovely bubble to celebrate valentines day in, but almost ten years later I have learned the somewhat harsh reality that those kind of holiday celebrations don't carry into your teenage/young adult education years. Once you've reached high school (or even younger sometimes), you become to the world an eligible bachelorette and it becomes blatantly obvious the two categories young women are sorted into: single vs. not single. Simple and somewhat stupid, but you know its true. And it becomes even more apparent on Valentines Day.
And now I find myself sitting here wondering what happened to all those little girls who loved Valentines Day?
I don't love Valentines Day anymore. Why? Answering this just for myself, I would say because I grew up. Because it turned into a holiday for all the people in the relationship club and I don't feel invited to the party.
I found a picture of me and my two little girl cousins from two years ago when I spent Valentines Day in California with my extended family. They were dressed up in their cute red and pink heart outfits and I remember getting out my makeup and letting them wear big girl lip-gloss and braiding their hair. It was such a special day and my younger cousins (both little girls) were so happy and excited about this holiday. Y'all that was one of my favorite Valentine's Days.
Because, when you're 4 and 8 years old, Valentines Day isn't about dates, chocolates, or flowers. Valentines Day is about saying "I love you" to your Mom and Dad. It's about hugging your grandparents and handing out special cards to your cousins. I believe that the true meaning of Valentines Day isn't in the dinner dates and red roses. I believe Valentines Day is celebrating those you love and the love you feel surrounded by.
This is for the little girls who love Valentines Day. You are the encouragement we all need on this holiday. You are the ones who brighten the world a little bit more by your laughter and smiles and pink dresses. For all you women out there reading this whether you're young and single, or happily married for the past forty years, I am happy to see that more and more women are choosing to love Valentines Day and no longer let one day of the year define their lives and how they love. I want one day to raise my daughters to love Valentines Day not only when they're young, but to love it their whole lives.
I know I said earlier that I don't love Valentines Day anymore, and to be honest I don't love it by its hallmark definition. I choose to love it as a day to love one another and to celebrate how blessed I feel by the love from others and from God. That's how I love Valentines Day, and yeah in the past I've forgotten that love, but thanks to my sweet cousins in their pink dresses and red bows, I'm remembering why I do.
When I was in elementary school, I loved Valentine's Day. Seriously, it was my favorite holiday at school. I would spend hours making homemade Valentines for everyone in my class (I even had a friend who always hosted and Valentines' making party each year), writing personal messages to all my friends and attaching a sweet little treat with my cards. Then, in class after we passed out our valentines, we would have a big party as a whole school and just eat candy and have fun. I was eight, so of course that made the best day ever!
Elementary school is a lovely bubble to celebrate valentines day in, but almost ten years later I have learned the somewhat harsh reality that those kind of holiday celebrations don't carry into your teenage/young adult education years. Once you've reached high school (or even younger sometimes), you become to the world an eligible bachelorette and it becomes blatantly obvious the two categories young women are sorted into: single vs. not single. Simple and somewhat stupid, but you know its true. And it becomes even more apparent on Valentines Day.
And now I find myself sitting here wondering what happened to all those little girls who loved Valentines Day?
I don't love Valentines Day anymore. Why? Answering this just for myself, I would say because I grew up. Because it turned into a holiday for all the people in the relationship club and I don't feel invited to the party.
I found a picture of me and my two little girl cousins from two years ago when I spent Valentines Day in California with my extended family. They were dressed up in their cute red and pink heart outfits and I remember getting out my makeup and letting them wear big girl lip-gloss and braiding their hair. It was such a special day and my younger cousins (both little girls) were so happy and excited about this holiday. Y'all that was one of my favorite Valentine's Days.
Because, when you're 4 and 8 years old, Valentines Day isn't about dates, chocolates, or flowers. Valentines Day is about saying "I love you" to your Mom and Dad. It's about hugging your grandparents and handing out special cards to your cousins. I believe that the true meaning of Valentines Day isn't in the dinner dates and red roses. I believe Valentines Day is celebrating those you love and the love you feel surrounded by.
This is for the little girls who love Valentines Day. You are the encouragement we all need on this holiday. You are the ones who brighten the world a little bit more by your laughter and smiles and pink dresses. For all you women out there reading this whether you're young and single, or happily married for the past forty years, I am happy to see that more and more women are choosing to love Valentines Day and no longer let one day of the year define their lives and how they love. I want one day to raise my daughters to love Valentines Day not only when they're young, but to love it their whole lives.
I know I said earlier that I don't love Valentines Day anymore, and to be honest I don't love it by its hallmark definition. I choose to love it as a day to love one another and to celebrate how blessed I feel by the love from others and from God. That's how I love Valentines Day, and yeah in the past I've forgotten that love, but thanks to my sweet cousins in their pink dresses and red bows, I'm remembering why I do.
Comments
Post a Comment