The Love Day

She was sad she was single today.

She was blue she didn't have plans this evening.

She was depressed she was not getting lucky tonight.

Why? Because it's Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day: the day rational people put totally irrational pressure on themselves to have the perfect love, lover and lovely dinner with flour-less chocolate cake and French vanilla ice cream with zero calories. My normally rational friend was having a serious melt-down about being single and very free on Valentine's night. For some reason she thought that I, a married woman, was going to have the most romantic day--and night!--ever because my husband was going to give me a bouquet of roses, a box of chocolates and six heart-shaped balloons that said "U R gr8t 4 me".

Beth got some things right: I am married, I am a woman and I have a husband. She also had several things wrong, namely if my spouse wanted to tell me how he feels, he should use big person words--not emoticons and text talk.

"I told my husband I didn't want a bouquet, chocolates or balloons," I said pumping my arms on a pre-breakfast walk around Lake Hollywood.

"You're crazy!" she said panting beside me. "Are you giving him anything?"

"I making him strawberries and cream for breakfast."

"That's so romantic!" 

"And instead of cut flowers we're going to buy some plants for the garden." 

"That's so lovely! You're making Valentine's Day about spending time together not about the stuff." I nodded.

"You can do the same thing, " I said.

"No one wants to be with me today. No one loves me." I stopped walking while the bluebirds kept swooping past us along the path, the azure water kept rippling from the soft breeze, which whispered through the pines under the warm rays of the sun.

"Am I no one?"

"What?" Beth said a wrinkle stamping her forehead.

"I'm here with you. I'm walking with you. I love you."

"I--," she laughed. "I mean, no guy loves me, no guy's going to give me roses or chocolates or balloon--"

"Valentine's Day isn't about the stuff," I said. "It's about spending time with someone you love." 

Beth's eyes grew large with realization as if she finally grasped what I was saying and what we were doing together here at Lake Hollywod at the crack of dawn.

"I love you, friend," she said flinging her arms around my neck.

Valentine's Day: the day rational people learn it's a day about celebrating love in all its guises: love for friends, family, dates, spouses and oneself. 

Here's wishing you a Happy Valentine's Day with all the people you love in your life!