Valentine's Hangover

It's the day after Valentine's. The love hangover has now begun. The national holiday for lovers and love is officially over. Today in stores, you can find that candy, those roses and cards all on sale for 50% off. The world that was high off love yesterday is returning to normal. What I witnessed yesterday was fairly weird to me. I noticed the oddest trend about my "friends" on Facebook. Facebook, it seems, is full of people who hate Valentine's day. I mean really despise the notion and holiday. I never knew how bitter a day could make a person. I've never given that much weight to the day, regardless of if I was in or out of a relationship. In the aftermath of this epiphany, these same people seem to have a Valentine's Day hangover.

I have had my fair share of awful and disappointing Valentine's Days. The worst being back in 2002. It was like the season of the terrible breakups. I had just gotten some heartbreaking news. My girls wouldn't let me wallow though. My friends and I (minus one) had all just come out of situations. And, none of us were feeling the love this particular V day. So, we decided to boycott it. Valentine's Day 2002 was, in the words of Jay-Z, an "all black everything" sort of affair. We went out and had drinks and enjoyed each other's company. It was a good day because of my friends. At the end of the day, I survived my anti-Valentine's Day.


This picture describes the way I think the anti-Valentine's people on Facebook felt yesterday.


What I do not get is the bitterness. The bitterness that I saw on Facebook that was spewed at people in love or celebrating Vday. It was very disheartening and actually kind of sad. There were also numerous posts attempting to put people on blast about their "love." I read "love should be shown every day of the year" more than once. While I wholeheartedly agree with the statement, the tone and vein it was stated was lost on me. Who are we to judge any one's relationship? That isn't my place or yours. I believe people do indulge heavily in Valentine's day when they are in love. It's their right.

Too many bitter Betty's and Bob's on Facebook for me. I found it rather comical though. I have never been big on boasting about anything about me. Who I am is not defined by what I have or received. Those who need to know anything about me knows it already. Everyone has their own definition of love. We express it and feel it in different ways. Whether you indulge in the utter commercialization of the day or not is definitely a personal choice. But, no one has the right to rain all over someone else's Valentine's Day parade. Love is love. If there is no one in your life to love you on Valentine's Day, love yourself. Trust me, this too shall pass.