Love conquers all – that is the point of this day

This morning, I woke up at 3 am and decided to check on my daughter who is finally sleeping in her own room. I woke up again at 4 am and did the same thing. By 6 am, I was checking on her once again because it was an unusually quiet night. So here I am at 7 am tapping away at the keyboard next to a well-rested toddler, feeling much at ease. It is Valentine’s Day, I will not be receiving flowers or gifts and yet I feel more loved than ever before. I will also not be giving any traditional gifts and yet I don’t love any less.

It may seem very random that I’m mentioning how my night went but isn’t this the very essence of love? Is the purpose of a day like today not to be spent in the company of those you love? My daughter did not put a ring on my finger nor did she sing me a serenade. And yet, I don’t believe anyone loves me more than she does.

Give your parents a call

On a day like today, when the world is celebrating romantic love, don’t forget about the ones who brought you into this world. Silly as it may seem, my dad will get a call from one of his many valentines – his daughter. If my mom were alive, she would’ve received a beautiful, handwritten letter, sealed with a kiss. Valentine’s Day isn’t only about the person that makes your heart skip a beat, it is simply about celebrating love. At least, this is what St. Valentine had intended to make out of his life. So if we are celebrating a day based on the acts of a man, let’s do it properly.

Tell your friends you are grateful for them

At nearly thirty years of age, the one thing I have learned to appreciate is the love of true friends. Unsurprisingly, on my Facebook page (which I believe still exists) my relationship status is married. It has been that way since I turned 17, but it wasn’t to shy away from the horny boys.

According to Facebook, I have been married to my best friend, Jennifer, for well over ten years. Friendship is a beautiful thing that we are blessed to have. When I was single or newly broken up, she was there for me. When I started university, she was there for me. And when I felt unworthy, she was there. The amazing thing about this friendship is that we live oceans apart and yet we have never been as close. Tell your friends you love them. If they are around, pay them a visit and shower them with love.

Shower yourself with love

Despite being in a blissful marriage, I will be showering myself with love this weekend. I hadn’t planned to do anything special, but my day of self-pampering begins now. With Bridgerton playing in the background and my prized laptop nestled in my lap, I have begun my day of self-love. It is sad to admit that we don’t usually remember to love ourselves, so why not change that today? Find something you enjoy doing and dedicate a portion of this day to that. I read a lovely post last night about this very thing, and it is the only reason why I am blogging today. I won’t try and summarise it as it was so beautifully written. Instead, I will leave you with an excerpt and a link…

Join a Valentine’s Day revolt

“If Valentine’s Day was centred around love as a concept, about friendships, siblings, parents and every other bond, it would probably be my favourite day of the year. I’ve not really been one to ever let myself be overly emotional about relationships, so it wouldn’t make sense for me to barrel full-force into oversized valentines day cards, stuffed bears carrying hearts and triumphantly pull out and a box of chocolates and say THIS IS IT. THIS IS THE ONE. Instead, I politely ask you to head to the shop and join me in my silent revolution.” Read the full post here.

Love those who need it the most

Just last week, Jan on the Blog and I collaborated on a Valentine’s post, where she shared some meaningful ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day and I gave the reasons why I don’t. As much as I am not keen on the romantic aspect of this day, I do believe that it can be something special. There are many people in need of love, and if we are able to celebrate Independence Day, take a day to honour the dead, etc. Why can’t we celebrate love? Yes, the Valentine’s Grinch is encouraging you to celebrate love. But do it with grace. Do it with intention. And make sure you do it consistently.

To everyone who is single, Happy Valentine’s Day!
To everyone who feels unworthy, Happy Valentine’s Day!
For those who are heartbroken, Happy Valentine’s Day!

I wish you all a day filled with love and happiness. After all, that is what this is all about!

Do you believe that love conquers all? What are some ways that you will be celebrating this day?