Or Venereal Disease Day, which Pablo and I used to call it after seeing a sign at a busstop advertising a "V-D Day" party. Morons.
I don't like Valentine's Day. I have never liked it. I think it's cheap, gimmicky and designed to make everyone feel badly about themselves. Couples wind up getting stressed and being disappointed and single people wind up feeling lonely or bitter or both.
I know that's not true for everyone - some couples have great Valentine's Days and plenty of single people have their own traditions. And I didn't even always write this day off as a total loss. I always took the opportunity to make a fuss over my family and friends. After all, isn't this holiday supposed to be about love? Why should romantic love get all the attention?
Well, I feel like it's an uphill battle now. First, isn't every day "couple's day"? Isn't life as a couple much easier in many respects? Where's the day celebrating the quiet troopers who have to drop off and pick up their own dry cleaning or be their own designated driver or go solo to that movie they really want to see?
For the couples out there - do take time and remember what it was like to slog through this day and give your single friends a pat on the back. And for the singletons - good job. If you can go 364 days not being bitter and grumpy, I think it's okay if you take this day as your own.
You do realize that you are echoing the sentiments of none other than one David "Axis of Evil" Frum.
ReplyDeleteIf I didn't know better, I would swear that you two are peas in a pod. Check it out.
(Back in the day, I used to sit at his desk and get the mail that had yet to start forwarding to his new office. I even met him a couple of times. Less of a prick than most!)
--chuck