All you need is #love ...
Commercialization ... clearly. Shortest. Post. Ever. HAHA!
No for reals though, I've gotten to thinking a lot about this blessed little holiday as of late, since this is my thing ... I am the queen of never having a Valentine. Tonight I got to thinking that maybe I'm wrong, maybe I'm just looking at the scenario the wrong way.
I am never one to want to be in a relationship. Seriously, as a kid, never dated in high school ... barely dated in my early 20s ... mid 20s, pretty much the same, relationships are for other people. I've never been one to search them out, and if they happened rad, if not awesome. I'm very meh on the entire dating scenario entirely. People fall in love, and just get WEEIIIIIIRRRRRDDDDDDD! I know because I was one of 'em!
Each year however, around Valentines day, I go bat shit; I am reminded of my lifestyle choice. I don't regret it 364 days out of the year, but on that 365th, it hits me pretty hard. Pretty hard ... good lord who am I kidding; it hits me very hard.
I grew up with two madly in love parents. Seriously ... to this day when I head home, my brother and I remind them to get a room. My parents have the most incredible, beautiful, and special kind of love. Novels have been written about their kind of love, kiddies. My parents met in grade school, were each other's ones, onlys, and everything since well, grade school. I grew up with that as my example of love, peppered in with every Disney movie imaginable. Hahaha, side note, you know what was really sick growing up? In elementary and early middle school (I moved in 8th grade), EVVERRRRYYY kid's parents were divorced, or separated ... and I was literally made fun of for having parents still together. It was like, hahaha you have TWO parents that come to every recital, parent teacher conference, and award ceremony - hahaha what a losseerrrrrr with TWO parents.
My parents are complete freaks of nature with their kind of love, and its amazing. My dad celebrates every year their first kiss (Feb 2nd GO JEN GO! Bet YOUUUU don't remember that one Michael ... suckkaa), first date, when they first went steady, and of course anniversary. My dad celebrates my mom everyday, but ESPECIALLY on Valentines day; it's a big deal at Casa de Friel.
I grew up with a very intense version of love, and I've never wanted to settle for less. Well, let's face the facts on the guys that I've dated ... in the past, yes, I've settled for less. Now? Not so much. My dad is fucking Casanova, really? Like any dude had a chance?
I've decided that this year, I am going to stop trying to compare myself to the kind of love my parents have, and DEFINITELY stop feeling sorry for myself for not having a Valentine. I have a different kind of love in my life, and it is you all. I know I can be bratty at times, and stuck in my own little world ... I know our conversations can be very one sided, and go off on a tangent every other post, we might fight periodically, and threaten to go our separate ways - but at the end of the day, there is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much love, it is UNDENIABLE!! Seriously, you guys make my LIFE! I can't STAND IT!
Dude, I can't even begin to count how many of you offered to be my Valentine from all over the WORLD! I mean, come ON! We have so much love goin on around these parts, it blows my effin mind!! Isn't that what Valentines day is all about, the love? Who cares if it comes from a guy you're dating or not, it's still there!!
Whether this year you are dating someone or not, know that if you're reading this, you are held deep in my heart, and you are greatly appreciated and loved. Life is lived in the moment. And in this moment, I am grateful. Thanks, nerds! Happy Valentines Day!
Everything I do, I do it for you all ...