Thursday, January 31, 2008

Pre-Valentine Mush

Dang it. Valentine’s is just around the corner. I don’t need to look at a calendar to know that – malls are doing such a fine job reminding us, they’re practically shoving red balloons, red cards, red everything down our throats you want to throw up.

I don’t mean to sound cynical but I feel that Valentine’s Day, aside from being commercialized, isn’t always good for us. It makes singles like me feel quite inadequate for not having a significant other to spend it with. It sets some pretty high expectations on couples to make the date extra-memorable despite the traffic and the generic gifts.

(You know what I hate the most? The horrendous traffic jam on the Dangwa area in Sampaloc on the eve of Valentine’s! Every Romeo is there, looking for the perfect and cheapest rose for their Juliets. Probably the only time you see men panic buying. Oooh…)

But that’s not to say that I hate the date, or the idea itself. I have my own fond memories of Valentine’s Day – whether I was “celebrating” as a member of the Samahang Malamig ang Valentine’s or while I was in a relationship. Sure, it’s nice when you can join the bandwagon and celebrate this “special” day. But you don’t need Valentine’s to make a person feel special. And the effort doesn’t have to be extravagant or expensive. Each day you spend loving someone is God’s gift and that is quite a present already.

So before the gooey commercialization gets in the way, let me be the first to greet you a Happy Valentine’s Day! And will my knight please hurry up and sweep me off my feet already?!!

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