WEST HARTFORD, Connecticut, U.S.A. – With Valentine’s Day so close, stores are filled to the brim with chocolates, flowers, and an excess of pink hearts.
Whether you are in a relationship, want to be in one, or are enjoying single life, it is impossible to forget that February 14th is just around the corner.
As with most other holidays people seem to have many different attitudes toward the day. Some take the expected Hallmark approach, and appear to have been struck with Cupid’s arrow multiple times.
But as I’ve grown older I’ve noticed the growth of another group, those who loathe the 14th and dread its arrival like the coming of death. It is these people in particular who would rather recount the details of Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre instead of appreciating the symbol of love that it has become.
One might assume that this category of people is limited solely to bitter singles seething with resentment, but I have found it to include individuals desperately seeking another and even couples who refuse to take part in the “mainstream” Hallmark event.
While I can’t offer advice to those rejecting the stereotype, I do have a suggestion for those depressed by the idea of a Valentine’s Day spent in solitude. Before you whip out the pint of ice cream and take up residence on the couch, think about all of the Februarys to come and the unlimited possible ways to spend this once-dreaded day.
Odds are at least one person you know is also flying solo on V-day – maybe even a few – so why not hang out with them?
By no means is this a date. Don’t let the day put a label on a simple night out with friends. Company is the strongest antidote for loneliness. Use it.
Another simple strategy is to change your attitude. It’s just one day, and the second you decide to stop hating it, I promise it will also stop hating you. Hopefully your new outlook will also rub off on others not fortunate enough to read this.
Whatever category you find yourself in, remember that Valentine’s Day is still just one out of 365 days that happen every year. Crying for hours in front of your TV won’t solve anything; you’ll just end up feeling even worse than you did before.
So cheer up, and don’t let those pink hearts get you down.
Celeste Kurz is a Reporter for Youth Journalism International.