Saying Yes To Valentine's Day

So. Tomorrow is Valentine's Day. 

In the spirit of full disclosure, I feel I must tell you that I have always found Valentine's Day to be a bullshit holiday. I mean, c'mon, right? Cliché red roses and preset dinner menus for two. Ugh. 

But I'm saying yes this year, remember? 

It took some re-framing on my part, setting aside icky clichés and looking for the beauty and the real and the universal in a day that is meant to be a celebration of love. And really, the world can always use a little more focus on love, don't you think?

The key here for me was stepping away from the red roses and heart shaped chocolates, the focus solely on romance and instead thinking about love. LOVE in all capitals. LOVE in bold print.

The kind of love that happens when a parent looks down in awe at her tiny child and knows down to her toes that there is nothing she wouldn't sacrifice to keep that brand new human safe. The kind of love that motivates someone drive through the night to be the shoulder for a heartbroken friend.  The kind of love that, yes, two people can build a life around, that helps them lean in to support one another when times get tough, that is fierce and gentle and vulnerable and strong.

So here I am, embracing Valentine's Day. I can't promise that I won't want to roll my eyes at the hallmark clichés, but I will promise to see the intention underneath, the people doing their best to show another human that they care, that they are valued, that they matter and are loved.

To love, y'all. In all of it's amazing forms.