Forgive my forthrightness, but my least favorite greeting-card-industry day of public fleecing is less than twenty-four hours away: Valentine's Day. No, I am not anti-love, I do not hate Cupid, and I cherish my SO, but come on.......Valentine's Day has become Madison Avenue's Day-of-Madness.
School children understand the stress associated with Valentine's Day parties, when ALL the children know exactly who received the least number of Valentine cards in their shoe-box-decorated Valentine 'mail boxes'. After the Valentine's have been passed out, fear and trepidation can be seen and felt as the students approach their 'box', ready to take the contents back to their desk for opening and counting.
The foible in this greeting card-industry-induced folly is that individuals, especially adults, are made to feel less-than-desirable if they are not remembered by someone other than themselves on Valentine's Day. We have been sold a collective bill of goods that has led us to believe that love is measured by the delivery of flowers, a heart-shaped box of chocolates, a greeting card to open, the giving of bedazzling jewels and trinkets, or pajamas in a hat box sent via special messenger.
Let's banish the hype and guilting (my word) by marketing wizards and simply say either "I love you." or acknowledge our own self-worth and value. God loves us. That's all we need.
Ancora imparo
