Valentine’s day. For centuries, it has been a day to celebrate love and happiness and the joining of two (or more–no judgment here) people’s souls …
… and it’s been a day that just sucks for single people.
Don’t get me wrong; I’m grateful that I found my husband and that Valentine’s day has become a happy day for me. I get showered with love and appreciation, and I get to share that love with him.
However, I remember a time less than a decade ago when Valentine’s day was a total suckfest for me. I hated it with a passion; before my husband, I had never had a date for Valentine’s day. I despised the day more than I despised the mere fact that I was perpetually single.
Want to know how much I despised Valentine’s day and the sappiness of it all? I used to request off for Valentine’s day months in advance just so someone who had someone would have to work in my stead.
Yep. I was that bitter. I’d sit at home, depressed, lamenting my solitary status and feeling sorry for myself. It was sad, really.
What’s the point of this post? The point is that it wasn’t forever. I wasn’t perpetually single; just for a while. 30 years, to be exact, but who’s counting? Those 30 years of singleness and depression are completely overshadowed by these last six years of happiness.
So get off your ass, get to work, and stop complaining. One day there will be someone who makes you realize that all that whining just wasn’t worth it. It gets better, and yeah, sometimes it doesn’t work out. Sometimes you don’t get lucky and this year’s Valentine’s date may be next year’s ex. Still, there’s hope. One day you’ll meet that “forever” Valentine. Or a Valentine for a few years. Or twenty. Or sixty-five. Point is, don’t be a dick on Valentine’s day like I was. Don’t call out to punish those who haven’t done anything to you other than be happy. Don’t be all self-deprecating or bummed out or whatever.
Just keep hope alive, or something like that. Trust in the Force. Whatever keeps you going through the single years to get to the not-single years.
AJ Mullican, Author 