V-Day: Make Love, Not Waste.

Valentine's Day. Dreaded by singles, most men and frugal women. Those who are single usually succumb to depression, anxiously browsing the Web for non-romantic activities to do. Even those with significant others drown in stressful anticipation while hurriedly planning the ‘perfect’ night out. Ironically, more break-ups occur on Valentine's Day than on any other day of the year. Hyped up expectations lead to heightened disappointments. Valentine’s Day revolves completely around us, and not what it was meant to celebrate: love.

Love, such a pure and rich concept, is reduced to a relationship cliche as we feel obligated to purchase the stereotypical dark chocolates and red roses for our partner, or something that stirs up Athazagoraphobia - insecurity and fear of being left out - in those who are single. As a single, myself, I can either graciously or resignedly accept that Valentine’s Day excludes those without a significant other, or I can expand out the definition of love and the holiday to include the other Greek categories of love beyond eros (passion/romantic love) to include agape (charity/sacrificial love), phileo (friendship) and storge (family relationships).

So, here’s my proposition: Focus on the broader definition of love on Valentine’s Day. We can show love by telling someone we believe in him/her, forgiving and asking for forgiveness of a person with whom we have had tension, or perhaps sharing a meaningful conversation with a stranger. 

Love can be beautifully expressed in so many ways, let’s not limit ourselves to chocolates and roses this February 14th.