Love, Wally

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone! Yes, it's a silly, made-up holiday that causes stress and disillusionment, but happy day all the same. I've always tried to make it a point of having a good day on Valentine's Day, regardless of my relationship status and you know, I've never had a particularly bad one yet.

This year, Tim and I used Valentine's Day as an opportunity of doing some special things together, rather than as a pressure-filled, overly romantic holiday. The Saturday before, we went to see The Foreigner at the Hale (Have I raved about this show yet? SO GOOD!) and went out to eat at a real restaurant, quite the luxury around here. The day itself was just a normal day with a few more chocolates than normal and the end of the North and South miniseries, a twenty hour-long soap opera-style drama set during the Civil War. Classic. Mostly, Valentine's Day was just a day. Tim gave me new shoes, I gave him kitchen utensils. I could say something cheesy about every day being Valentine's Day, but really, every day I love my husband and he loves me and I appreciate having days that let us make it something special.

I also think that Valentine's Day isn't just about your spouse/boyfriend/etc., it's about all the people in your life. And I got thinking back to high school, when my best friends and I were none of us dating anyone, though we all wished we were, and we invented a fictitious boyfriend named Wally. I don't remember why we picked Wally (there was a semi-logical reason, I just don't remember) but he was the perfect man (hence being fictitious). We wouldn't tell any of our guy friends who this mysterious Wally was, but we made sure they knew we were in love with him.

And then on Valentine's Day, there was a flower from Wally on my desk in my first class. Later in the day, I got chocolate and a card from him, signed in one of my best friend's handwriting. The four of us had given each other Valentine's Day gifts in Wally's name. It was fun and silly, but as I remember now, I am amazed at how truly sweet that day was. We each wanted to make sure the day didn't go by without our best friends feeling special and loved, because they were. Maybe not by a boyfriend, but by several best friends, and truly, that is what this day is about.

So Happy Valentine's Day. Know that you are loved, you are special, and a new pair of shoes and some chocolate make for a good day anytime.