Valentine's Day

I'll be completely honest for a moment.
(Like I am ever anything other than honest)
I dislike Valentine's Day.
A Retailers Holiday

Teachers forced everyone to purchase
said Valentine's Cards
And a Dentists Worst Nightmare if you desired
for every single person in the class.

At some point in school, they stop
making you send cards to everyone,
Which makes some feel like
third class citizens of the room.

Some children received cards
from every person in a flash
while others sat there
clutching their minimal stash.

Giving out a class full of Valentine's
wasn't my biggest hate.
It was watching my friends clutch
onto 2 or 3 cards that made my heart ache.

It wasn't going through a box of cards
picking out the awesome card for my best friend
and the least awesome card for the dirty kid.
(let's be honest .. there's one in every class)

It was the year they decided
not to require a full set of cards
that I realized that not everyone is inspired
to give a card from their heart on this "special day."

I dreaded watching each giver go around
to pass out their Valentine's in each friend's bucket
because of the knot in my stomach when
they kept going pass a person they didn't like.

I dreaded going around myself passing out
a room full of cards because even though
it wasn't required I felt a sense of duty to
make sure the dirty kid got a card to clutch onto.

It wasn't before long when I realized
I was one with fewer cards than most.
I almost felt sorry for myself
until I realized something extraordinary.

My cards weren't given to me
out of a sense of obligation.
They were given to me
out of a sense of love.

I looked at every signed card
and realized they were my
best friends in life.
My best friends forever.

It wasn't required yet those people
felt so much love that they
gave me a piece of their heart.
They desired to send a message of love

It was also about this same time where you were
cautious about sending the opposite sex
a Valentine's card because it might
appear you like them more than just friends.

I realized very quickly that
I didn't care if I sent my guy best friend
a card because he was just that
my very best friend.

But it got "oohs" and "aahs" from others
because they assumed that
I had ulterior motives for sending
him the metallic piece of paper.

What they didn't realize
is that love comes in so many forms.
Love can not be
boxed in by parameters.

Love shouldn't be given on
February 14th.
Love should be given
EVERY DAY!

I will never forget the emotions
I received the first time
I received a token of love.
This token wasn't given on February 14th.

In fact, I don't remember the day.
BUT, I remember the feeling.
I felt a little nauseated,
little scared and a lot Overwhelmed.

At the time, I didn't even want the feelings.
I wanted them to go away.
But over time, I realized
those feelings are wonderfully awesome.

To have someone
profess their love
with something simple
is the best kind of love.

That simple gesture
made me realized that
I hate Valentine's Day
A Retailers Holiday.