In between the Christmas trees and 4-leaf clovers, sits a day that is either lauded or loathed by the masses. You guessed it – I am talking about Valentine’s Day, which we all know is rapidly approaching. As adults, most people have strong feelings about this February holiday. Gone are the days which we all jubilantly exchanged candy and cards with our classmates! Some may anticipate the day with excitement and affection and others may dread it with feelings of sadness and longing. Even those who choose to celebrate, may feel a sense of worry and obligation to “get it right”. Lots of stress on a day that is meant to bring feelings of love!

You may not know this, but history tells us this date was solidified by Pope Gelasius I in AD 496 to honor the death of St. Valentine of Rome, who died on February 14th AD 269. St. Valentine was a martyr best known for restoring the sight of his jailer’s blind daughter. Talk about an act of love!

This brings me to the premise of how I feel we should consider February 14th – or perhaps the word should be reconsider. Instead of making it the “one day a year” where you show expressions of love to those closest to you, why don’t we share the love? Meaning it could be something as simple as doing random acts of kindness all day long or sending a quick note to a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while. What a way to commemorate what St. Valentine did for a person that, by all accounts, should be his enemy! In addition to the gifts given to your loved ones, another great way to show love is to give of your time to those in need. Valentine’s Day should not just be meant for lovers – it should be for everyone. Everyone deserves and desires to feel love. This day should not be about “this day” above other days. The hurt many may feel is due to how and when we celebrate. We can change that and bash the status quo that comes with Valentine’s Day!