Brain Droppings: Bah. Humbug!

OK. You can call be the Ebenezer Scrooge of Valentine's Day. Bah. Humbug. There I said it. Are you satisfied? And I've always felt that way. Whether I was a single man, or involved in a relationship, Valentine's Day was always my least favorite holiday. In fact, I've probably mellowed with age and, now, at least grant that ANY excuse to say "I love you" is, ultimately, a good thing. Therefore, I certainly don't knock people who use it to that end. In fact, I encourage it. My issue is with being told that I HAVE to celebrate it or I must be insensitive to the people that I love. I also have a problem with the fact that the whole thing has become a commercial juggernaut that has blurred the REAL meaning of when someone truly says "I LOVE YOU". To me, the more it's used in a banal, blatantly commercial way, the less meaningful it becomes. And, evidenced by the BILLIONS of dollars raked in by Greeting Card Companies, Florists, and makers of Cute Little Stuffed Animals, Valentine's Day has become a huge commercial success. Some will say that this part at least helps the economy, and this may be true. However, it also greatly contributes to the dissolution of the meaning of three of the most powerful words in any language: I, love, and you.

But Valentine's Day, at least in the modern era, was DESIGNED to be a COMMERCIAL endeavor. It is well known that, as a challenge to improve business during the slow season between Christmas and Easter, a Hallmark executive resurrected an obscure, little known, and NEVER celebrated holiday to serve as the base for celebrating Valentine's Day. And, obviously, he was brilliant. Valentine's Day has become a huge, commercial success and entire industries have developed around its celebration. The executive deserves to be congratulated. However, with the serious over-kill that dominates modern culture, he has also created a monster!! The commercials hyping Valentine's Day paraphernalia begin weeks before the actual day, building to a crescendo to entice those of us forgetful enough to have waited to the last minute to get our sweeties something. And we have been so conditioned by this constant barrage of messages urging us to show we care by buying something for a loved one from them, that we are actually in fear of our partners if we don't! I say that's just plain ridiculous and I want no part of it.

Again, ANY excuse to do something or say something nice to the people we love is ALWAYS a good thing. But, at the same time, we should be doing those things on a DAILY basis. I have strived to do that in my life. I have not always been successful. Except for my writing, I am not overly zealous with PDA's (Public Displays of Affection), and this is a flaw. But I work everyday at living in a way that expresses I Love You. For those around me, especially my wife, I hope that they understand this and know that no heart-shaped box of chocolates, no red balloons, no stuffed animals, no cheesy greeting card can change the fact that I love them EVERY DAY. If I have failed to make that known, then I am a fool and no manufactured feel good holiday can change that.

As for those who see no harm in doing it their way, it's all good - if you really mean it!