Valentine's Day Can Bring Cheer to Our Nation

By Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway

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I want a Valentine's Day date! Don't you? It is time to reclaim the holiday of hearts, even if I am an old married lady.

Especially in this time of financial crisis and messy personal problems faced by so many, Valentine's Day can bring a little much needed cheer to our nation.

I remember the days when one of the most enduring quests of womanhood was securing the perfect date on Valentines Day --or even an imperfect date. You could be single for every other day of the year, but on that day, none of us wanted to be alone.

If no boyfriend was in sight, we would scout potentials and hope someone would arrive in our lives just in time for February 14.

Sound desperate? I think it was just the norm, the reality of being a girl when I was in my teens and 20's and beyond.

I used to see a Valentine's date as a validation that I was loved -- or someone liked me. Part of my self-esteem hinged on whether I was popular enough to have a date!

Even in the days of courtship, through engagements and into married life, many women still yearn for cards, flowers, heart-shaped boxes of chocolates and stuffed animals with signs that said “I love you.” We love those dinners out and sex nights in. It never bothered us that the initials of this holiday are “V.D..”

Over time, we trained our men to partake in it with enthusiasm as a ritual of prooving their love and adoration. Pity the husband or significant other who does not remember to get a Valentine Card and at least a trinket for the occasion.

In my younger days, most gals were in it for the cards. The mushy ones that said "I love you" and "You're My One and Only." We had no idea this holiday was named after a celebate saint and invented by Hallmark to sell greeting cards.

Many of us have worked our way up to big ticket items as gifts.

Valentine’s Day to this day is still the second most poplar day for weddings, and often the favorite time to propose. It’s meant to be romantic!

I am realizing again, this year, that Valentine's Day is a chance to rise above the grind of daily living and celebrate a love that is strong every day of the year. Gosh, that sounds so mature ... but romantic!

I have to confess, I have gotten completely boring in recent years and rusty in the romance department. To top it off, I can’t eat chocolate any more (so sad) and I am allergic to many flowers (also sad). So my darling husband gets me practical gifts. This year, it is a desk top air purifier for my office to help me heal from a sinus infection that has plagued me since fall. Sexy, huh? Yes, because it is a gift of love.

The note said: “I can’t give you chocolates or flowers, but I can give you a breath of fresh air – because you are my breath of fresh air.” Awwwwwww. Made my heart go pitter-patter.

So I am thinking: It’s time for an old fashioned Valentine’s Day -- music, dancing, and romancing. And honoring my relationship with the one I promised to love, honor and cherish. Who’s with me on that?

Luckily, I don't have to hunt down a date this year. Haven't had to for the past decade. But I still remember those years well. So if you are single, hang in there.

I will have some ideas for you as we get closer to Valentine's Day.
For now, check out the Valentine's Day page at Beliefnet.com.

As for me, Hubby has agreed to wine and dine me (or let me wine and dine him). Well, at least we will share a meal and celebrate our love.

Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway is author of The Goddess Pages: A Divine Guide to Finding Love and Happiness (Llewellyn, Nov. 2008) and the e-course, Find Your Spiritual Soul Mate. She is moderator of The Soulmate Project on Beliefnet.

Posted February 8, 2009 8:19 AM by Rev. Laurie Sue Brockway | Permalink | Email This