By Brian Shermeyer
Valentine’s Day is one of the most disputed days of the year. Some people love it, some hate it, others are indifferent to the day. Despite our varied opinions on it, I believe there is a great benefit for all on this day of love.
For couples, Valentine’s Day is a very important day of the year to commemorate their love for each other. For those of us who are single, it can be painful and a slap in the face to remind us that we are single.
Despite this, there are many ways of looking at love. Love does not exclusively fall under romantic relationships. Love can be admiration, respect, care and affection for someone.
“I think it is a day to celebrate all the people you love in your life,” Mikayla Ickes, a junior communication major, said. “I see it as an opportunity to share our appreciation for anyone we really care about.”
I find this as really great advice. I do not always tell the people who are most important to me how much they mean. Valentine’s Day is a great time to take advantage of the love that is in the air and let those people know how valuable they are.
On the flip side, for those people in a relationship, it can be extremely enriching.
“I think Valentine’s Day is very helpful because some people’s love languages make it difficult for them to express their true feelings for their significant other,” Sean Reddington, a senior human development and family science major, said. “Everyone is different, some like flowers, some like to go out on dates and some just like to stay in and watch a movie. Valentine’s Day gives them the opportunity to show their partner how much they care in their own unique way.”
The fact that people express their love differently often slips my mind, so this is a good reminder for me that not everyone has the same love language as me. Recognizing other people’s love languages is important, even when it is not romantically involved.
By taking this day of love to remind ourselves the true meaning of being a Christian, we are able to show those around us the love and concern in which they deserve. Although it is often coined as being a consumer’s holiday, Valentine’s Day can be a reminder to rejuvenate and spur us on to show the love that we are called to share as Christians.
If we use this day as a springboard for the rest of the year, the day has not been wasted. If we treat the day like it is pointless or like it is New Years, creating a resolution and then forgetting all about it a week later, then it shall truly be wasted.
This may be a completely new way of looking at Valentine’s Day for you. Do not just brush this aside because it is a new way of thinking about it. Contemplate it and then spread the Valentine’s Day love for all to hear.