Happy Day of Love!

Today is Valentine's Day [duh].  I'll be honest, I'm kinda wary about this day for a few reasons...

1.  Its REAL easy to snag a ticket for the oh-poor-me-I'm-single-for-yet-another-Valentine's-Day train.  Seriously.  One way, round trip, whatever you need they've got it.  And even though the lovely little attendants are so sweet inviting you on and offering you chocolates and cookies, once you've reached your destination [and feel the candy hangover the next morning] you realize how much worse it actually made you feel.

2.  If you tell people that you're happy being single, they almost always flash you one of those knowing, sympathetic smiles.  They might as well just say out loud, "Oh that poor delusional girl.  She actually sounds really convincing, but there's no way she's being honest by saying that."

Oh, um, ok.

But I am.

No really.

Promise.

And then they smile again and give you a hug or pat you on the back.  And then you imagine punching them in the face.  Twice.  Because the harder you argue, the more they think they're right and you're just getting defensive.  Lose, lose my friends.

3.  You thought Rexburg girls were boy-crazy before now?  Just wait until February 14th.  Shoooot dog, I can't even tell you the number of times I rolled my eyes at all the girly giggles fluttering around my classroom today.  Come to think of it, guys get kinda weird too.  Like the complete stranger who thought it was completely appropriate to hold onto my waist as I was sliding past him to get to my usual middle-of-the-back-row seat.  Awkward?  You bet.

So yeah, today can be kind of awkward and is usually a little too pink for my taste, but seriously what's so bad about celebrating a day dedicated solely to love?

I have a friend who was psyching herself up to be depressed all day today.

The worst part about it?  She started doing this about two weeks ago.

Yeah, I'm not going to go out and buy roses and giant stuffed teddy bears [all while dressed as cupid or a giant heart, nonetheless] but I'm also not gonna sit around watching The Notebook and stuffing my face with peanut butter hearts.

I may be single, but I have plenty of other people in my life that I love and want to show my love to today.  And like my girl Taylor, I'd rather stay optimistic about love.  Its gotta be better than shriveling up into a bitter old lady with no one to love, other than my cats of course.

But seriously, the first step to finding love [in Torr's Guidebook to Life] is loving yourself.  And ain't no way thats gonna happen by obsessing over your single status and beating yourself up about any little imperfection you can find.

And so what if you're your own Valentine?

At least you already know how awesometastic you are...and what your favorite candies are!

So to anyone who may read this, whether you're married, engaged, dating, single, in an open relationship, or the always awesome "its complicated", do me a favor.

Go stand yourself in front of the closest mirror

give yourself a big smile/hug/pat on the back/hi-five

and tell yourself how much you love you.

And then go out, my friends, and be optimistic about love...