So. Are ya gonna? I mean, it's the day...and you have to. You have to be my valentine. And do you know why?
Well, one story says it's a Pagan rite. Young men who were "coming of age" (like we don't know what that means) were allowed to draw the name of a young maiden from a bowl. AND that was his date all year.
There's another story. The government ( Which government? I don't know which government. Let's call it Upper Turkissandwich) outlawed marriage to preserve a reservoir of single men from which to populate its army. But one man--Bishop Valentine--was performing secret marriages anyway. well, the Turkissandwich-ian government found out and imprisoned old Bishop Valentine and had him executed. But before the ax fell, he managed to get a note out to his sweetheart that he loved her...and he signed it "from your Valentine." Get it? Valentine? Valentine's Day?
But the thing about Valentine's day is that it's a fraud.
National "Look what MY sweetheart got me. Don't you wish you had a sweetheart that sweet? "
Day.
National "Man, I'm a loser because I'm single" day.
National "Buy my cards and my candy and my lingerie to give to your sweetheart" day.
The thing is, we tell ourselves that the ULTIMATE goal for each person is to find that "right one" and settle down to produce 2 1/2 children.
That anyone who remains single has no worth. That there is someone out there for each of us...if we are just lovable enough.
IT'S NOT TRUE.
I mean, what jerk told a teenager he or she wasn't worth a second look if he was still not "in a relationship" by the time he was 18? HAVE YOU NOTICED HOW OFTEN PEOPLE CHANGE THE FACEBOOK STATUS "IN A RELATIONSHIP?" What kind of relationship changes every three days? So let's be honest. We aren't talking about love here. We're talking about sex. Or maybe just the comfort of someone to hold us and tell us we aren't alone.
EVERYONE is not intended to fit into the married mode. YOUR WORTH IS NOT MEASURED BY YOUR MARITAL STATUS. That only counts if you are adding up Federal deductions for taxes.
Okay, you say. But you aren't single. How can you know?
You're right. But I have friends who are. I have friends who are admirable, trustworthy, attractive and single. What do I say to those people?
I wish you love. I wish you a certainty that you matter to people. I wish you many fulfilling relationships in your life...not just romantic interludes.
And I want to remind you that Valentines Day only comes once a year. Love--all kinds of love--endures forever.
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