What is Valentine's Day?
It was just like school
when she had hoped
that her big
construction paper envelope
would be full
of candy hearts
and drug store valentines
and that the last one
she opened
would be from him
- DRD
What is Valentine’s Day?
It’s an ancient Pagan fertility festival. It’s a day when the Roman’s martyred Valentinus. It’s a day when the Christians celebrate love. But mostly, it’s a day when we choose.
It’s hoping your big construction-paper-envelope will be full of candy hearts and drug-store valentines. It’s hoping that last one is from her. It’s a day to compare.
It’s elation and crushed hopes. Anxiety and relief. It’s tears and smiles.
It’s a day to communicate without saying a word - a chance to be kind or cruel.
It’s a means of seduction and an excuse to get laid. It’s an opportunity to say, out of all my choices, you won. It’s a chance for her to be a prize.
It’s dinner, flowers and four hours of presence to make up for a year’s worth of absence. It’s pretend connected intimacy.
It’s a guilt trip. It’s compulsory. It’s a chance to fuck up. It’s a chance to show up.
It’s a payday for florists and restaurants, hotels and babysitters. It’s streamlined menus and churning tables. It’s 19 Billion dollars of business. It’s an institution and a ritual.
It’s the one night where you can be certain that the person you’re missing is staring into someone else’s eyes - touching under the table. It’s a time to whisper to the winter wind, Fuck I miss you.
It’s a hard night for disposable men and secret lovers.
And it’s proof that there’s balance. Proof that for every yin there’s a yang and wherever there’s light, somewhere close there’s also dark.
It’s a night to be alone in a crowd with him, or her. A night to eat fancy cheese. It’s a night to hear, I love you.
It’s a love letter from a man who can’t write.
It’s a good day to pass quickly. And if you’re like me, it’s a good night to drink.
What is Valentine’s Day? It’s a day that is most definitely about love.
It’s just another day.
