What’s that smell in the air? Smells like… flowers and chocolate — must be Valentine’s Day. Every year there is a rush of panic over this pivotal day of romantic gestures. The day has passed this year, but the sentiments remain. It seems like this is a day that glorifies people in romantic relationships and shines a glaring light on those who are single. I would like to propose a modern reboot of Valentine’s Day.
Instead of making it a day to glorify only romantic relationships, I say we go back to our grade school days of passing little note cards to one another, professing our friendship. Love exists beyond that of the romantic variety. We should celebrate platonic and familial love in addition to the romantic.
There have been many Saint Valentine’s to exist, but Valentine’s Day is commonly associated with Saint Valentine of Terni, who is generally believed to have been persecuted and jailed for his religious faith and marrying people illegally. While imprisoned he grew close to his jailor, who in time became impressed with Saint Valentine and recruited him to help his blind daughter, Julia, study by having him read to her. Before Saint Valentine’s execution date, it is reported that his final miracle was curing Julia. The night before his execution, he wrote the very first “valentine” to her. It was a letter representing the friendship between the two.
Not only was the first ever valentine one of friendship, but Julia planted an almond tree near the grave of Saint Valentine to be a lasting symbol of their love and friendship. The roots of the holiday we treat as one of romantic gestures spawned from the death of a man dedicated to his faith and his friendships made on death row. If we are to take anything from this, it’s that we should celebrate the connections we make in life, beyond that of the romantic.
This Valentine’s Day, I baked hundreds of sugar cookies and assembled dozens of little valentine cards to give to people in my life. I chose to celebrate the love I share with friends and family. In 2019 there was an unusual snow storm on Valentine’s Day. That year, I went on a trek to visit my friends who had scattered across the Lower Mainland to deliver little valentines because I wanted them to know they are valued in my life, despite the distance between us.
Outside of western culture’s interpretation of Valentine’s Day, East Asia celebrates by having two separate days. Valentine’s Day in Japan is a day for women to give friends, family, loved ones, and colleagues valentines. White Day is a day to respond that takes place on March 14, a month after Valentine’s Day. All this to say, they make a point of Valentine’s Day holding meaning beyond that of the romantic variety and provide a secondary day so that those who received may respond accordingly.
I believe we should shift our mindsets and culture to see Valentine’s Day as a chance to celebrate all forms of love. Love is not limited to romantic relationships and all of us experience some form of it. To my local singles, don’t fester in disappointment over not having a romantic partner, instead find joy in the other connections we make in life. To my cuffed-up pals, please don’t forget that you have other people in your life and take a moment to celebrate the various forms of love shared in your life.
Emmaline is working on her BA and ambitions to become an English teacher. They always say, those who cannot do, teach. She spends her free time buying, reading, and hoarding books with the hope that one day she will have no furniture and instead only have piles of books.
