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Rant & Rave
ONCE again, Valentine's Day is upon us. Now for you girls out there I'm sure you're pretty stoked. While you're sitting around trying to solve the nagging task of figuring out what kind of "cute" card to get us, we're busy running around at the zero hour trying to find out which flower vendor set up on Kam Highway still has half-way decent looking flowers. Or so I'm told. Roses are red,
there goes my greenNow I can appreciate the fact of setting aside one day out of the year that can be dedicated to just you, your special someone and Hallmark. However, I think for a lot of people, Valentine's Day has become more dreaded than anticipated. Especially for single folk who are going to spend the day sitting out in front of a Starbucks drinking cappuccino, cursing the greeting card industry, and reminding themselves how cool they are for not participating in this over-commercialized exploitation of love.
I don't believe that Valentine's Day is some evil plan to make jewelry stores, flower shops and the greeting card industry a little extra profit during the post-holiday slump. However, it does seem like a coincidence, don't you think?
While we relationship folk sit here and chuckle about the trials of the available, I think we need to examine what we are doing. We aren't better than the people with no one to call their "sugarpie" or whatever ridiculous pet name we give to our boyfriend/girlfriend.
No offense, of course, to the people who actually do use the pet name "sugarpie." I love (insert sarcastic tone of voice here) pet names .
No matter what relationship status we claim this Valentine's Day, I think that we all forget one very important issue. Why is it that we feel forced to be some awesome, romantic person for just one day out of the year?
Here's a novel idea for everyone. If you actually care about the person you are involved with, why not attempt to be a loving person all year 'round. OK, step back and take a deep breath now because I know a lot of you guys just threw the paper down and are now hyperventilating. I'm sure there are women out there who are doing the same thing, but everyone just listen for a second.
Breathing pattern back to normal?
Cool, now I realize that it's wrong to try to be someone you're not. Some people are very loving and affectionate, while others are more subtle and keep their emotions low-key. Either way, I'm sure there are ways to make your better halves feel good about themselves all year round no matter what personality type you fit.
It's great that we can set aside one day out of the year to remind our special someones how much we really care. However, I think it should be left up to the couple to decide which day, hopefully days, are right for them to celebrate their relationship the way they see fit, rather than forcing us to express our love through a heart- shaped box of overpriced sweets.
As for all you single folks out there, buck up and turn that frown upside down (again, insert sarcastic tone of voice).
Derek Watkins is a senior at the University of Hawai'i
majoring in communications and a
1996 graduate of Radford High School.Rant & Rave is a Tuesday Star-Bulletin feature
allowing those 12 to 22 to serve up fresh perspectives.
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