It's that time of the year with the red and the pink and the flowers and the chocolate and all the other stuff (have you seen that stupid, huge teddy bear for sale on television that the ladies are lovin' on in a creepy sort of way?). All of it, creepy or not, reminds single people that they're single and married people that they're married.
As if we needed reminders.
Typically I would venture back in time and repost my rather opinionated It Stinks To Be Single Day (a good read, says the author), but I think I'll venture out on a limb for this one.
How do I really feel?
I would really like for my dashing husband to swoop into my workplace wearing a suit and tie with a dozen pink roses in his hand. Why my workplace? So everybody can see how much I am loved, of course. After all, what good is love if we can't parade it in front of those less fortunate?
(and the mean monster of sarcasm rears its ugly head)
So... that's the dream. Here's the reality.
My dashing husband will not show up at my workplace because he will be, well... working. If he did show up in a suit and tie, I would wonder who died. And if a dozen pink roses were in his hand?
Well, I would most likely be written up for that infamous three-letter abbreviation known as
Public
Display (of)
Affection.
After all, pink roses are my weakness and I am rather in love with the man.
Listen,
I'm a girl. I'm all for romance, but come on... romance isn't romance if it's forced and especially if it's because your significant other is only doing it because they don't want to hear from you if they don't.
Like that made any sense.
Am I bitter? Not really. I've done the whole dozen roses/teddy bear/chocolate thing in the dark corners of my past. That fool (ahem, young man) only loved me when it was for a convenient, public display. I'll have no part of that again.
Do I wish my husband would surprise me with flowers more often? Sure. I'm not an idiot, but I'm also not a whiner (don't laugh). Flowers aren't cheap and there are other ways for him to show me he cares*.
Am I jealous of others already posting their feel-good love updates? Maybe. Like I said, I do like all that girly stuff, but I just don't get the mushy stuff put out there for the purpose of likes and/or comments.
I know, I know. You are not posting that stuff for the purpose of likes and/or comments. You're just so much in love that you want to share it with the world via all avenues of social media.
(and with that, I am certain to have offended someone)
A thousand apologies. You're right. I am jealous.
(down with you, sarcasm!)
But seriously,
And I promise this is it...
My thoughts this week are with my mother and uncle who will be missing their sweethearts this Saturday. My thoughts this week are with my aunt who will mark a full year without her sweetheart on Saturday. And my thoughts this week are with those who struggle with the question of why they are still alone (or feel alone) through this cruel and commercialized season of pink and red that will finally climax on Saturday.
Make no mistake.
I love love.
I just don't love the nonsense.
*And just to prove to some of you that I'm not entirely heartless, here's a picture of the best Valentine's Day gift ever from my sweetheart. Granted, it's covered with dust and hasn't seen the light of day for a good two years or so, but that's my own fault. Even when I fight the cobwebs to look at it, I can't help but smile when I remember what was genuinely a perfect day that occurred in the midst of a rather difficult storm.
 |
| My Pink Valentine Bike, circa 2011 |
Ahhhhhhh.... I really do have a sentimental side.
Happy It Stinks To Be Single Day! =)
