All I Want for Valentine’s Is…

Also known as: A Valentine’s Wish List …because I can make one.

So it’s Valentine’s Eve. I wish I could say that I’m one of those people who don’t really make a big deal out of Valentine’s Day…but I’m not. I used to make a big deal out of it because I’m so bitter about my lack of a romantic life. Despite my seemingly happy disposition, I realize that most of my teenage angst comes from this part of my life, or the lack of it. Proof, circa 2004:

I’m sorry for being bitter this early already, but I don’t want to be involved in anything like that, unless it’s for me. –; Call me selfish, but my materialistic side is protesting big time and the cup of unsweetened coffee is going to spill all over me (uh, did you get the metaphor there?) before you can say “Valentine’s Day”. I’m sorry, but I just can’t take all the smooching and “making someone else feel special” on Valentine’s Day if I’m not one of them. Yes, this is the bitter side of me.

Gah. I don’t want to complain to them about it or even crack a joke about it, because they’d tell me it’s okay — but it’s not. They have been where I am, but they magically forget the feeling when they’re not in the same situation anymore. Perhaps they’re telling me it’s okay with them, but it’s not okay with me.

See. Bitterness. Let’s all laugh at myself, shall we?

But I’ve long made a decision that I would not be bitter on Valentine’s Day. Being bitter is too emotionally exhausting. Plus I don’t know what point being bitter on February 14 wanted to prove anyway, except maybe that you’re…well, bitter. I’d rather be with the multitudes that wear red that day than wear black and explain why I am wearing that. Besides, it’s more fun to dress up and just enjoy the 14th for what it is instead of going “woe-is-me”, regardless of your relationship status.

Trust me, I’ve been doing that for almost 5 years.

Of course I still feel lonely. I’ve told my friends that the days leading to Valentine’s Day is usually the time when I’m most emotionally vulnerable, and yes, still bitter. I’m just glad that this year, I have less access to TV so I don’t have to watch those Valentine’s specials and I am mostly occupied by work, so I did not have much time to think about it. But why focus on that loneliness? And at the same time, why make the 14th pass by like it’s nothing when you can use it as an excuse to dress up and feel special, give your friends a little token and make other people smile? Yes, you can do that on any other day, but why not capitalize on a commercialized “holiday”, right?

So this year, I’m going to do just that. Being single actually gives me time to do fun things for the 14th and come up with silly lists like this. Because I still can ((And this is my blog so I can post what I want :P)). There’s nothing wrong with coming up with a Valentine’s wish list, right? ;)

All I want for Valentine’s is…

And maybe this list can help you do something nice to your other friends, too. :)

• A flower. For the past 5 Valentine’s Days, I’ve always received a flower. It was never the romantic kind of flower giving, but I don’t care — a flower is still a flower and it is still very nice to receive them on that day. The past four years, we had a flower delivery service at work so my friends and I sent flowers to each other. :) There are no flower delivery services this time around, so I’m not really expecting to receive a real one…but there are many ways to be creative with this. A greeting card (no they’re not yet old). An email. Facebook post. Tweet. A chat message. A text message. ASCII flowers, pictures of flowers. It could work. Like what they say, it’s the thought that counts, right?

  

• Sweets. I will not deny myself of this. A Starbucks flour-less chocolate brownie (Php 55) would do. Or even a Mrs. Field’s Rocky Mountain Mogul (Php 75). I will probably give myself this tomorrow anyway.
• A personalized message. Copy+pasted greetings = old. And kinda tacky. A little personalization would be nice. And it’s not much effort, too. Those messages are the ones that are kept for along, long time (I have messages in my phone dated to more than a year already — I keep them because they are nice and are directed to me and not to me and 25 other people).
• A date. Not necessarily a romantic one (but hey, I wouldn’t mind :P), but a date with friends, specifically other single people, where everyone gets to appreciate all the infinite possibilities that lie ahead of us in this exciting season of our life. :)And remember, that date is not limited to the 14th of February only. It could be at other days of the months, too. What I’m saying is, an invitation to go out on a definite date can be made on Valentine’s Day. Besides, why would you want to squeeze in with all the couples going on a date on Monday? Not a good decision.

Allow my somewhat romantic side to win me over a bit tomorrow. Valentine’s Day is just another day, but a day that emphasizes love is a day I don’t want to ignore. It doesn’t always have to be romantic love. I think we all just need to think out of the box and celebrate ALL kinds of love on the 14th. :)

Advance happy Valentine’s day, everyone. ♥