Valentine's--A Double Edged Day

Valentine's Day leaves me with mixed feelings.

On one hand it is indeed a treat to be treated and told you are loved and special to someone. On the other hand, I think it's a big old pain in the butt.

I had kids this week who, thanks to TV, felt the Valentine hype and in turn then their failure. See, TV told them they needed special cards and gifts to tell special people they were loved. They also started to wonder, what will come my way on Valentine's Day.

I think that's where it becomes a big pain. It is a holiday that creates hurt feelings in so many. There are people who feel unloved and left out because they don't receive a Valentine. There are kids who get a start at being cynical with the classroom policy that everyone gets a Valentine from everyone. It's politically correct, but really shallow. What are we teaching there?? Lie to spare someone's feelings? Just for this one hour of Valentine Party you have to like everyone in your class? Everyone in the class already knows whose Valentine Box would have been empty except for the policy, even the kid whose box it would have been. There are the people whose Valentine's Day gift expectations are not met. The spouse that blows it off, the sweetheart that gets a gas station gift, the one who doesn't get the ring, the one who gets pizza instead of romance. Then there are all the people who get caught up in the hype of romance and do things they later regret.

See what I mean? I'm not really a cynical kill-joy, well, maybe I am. I guess I just think we ought to be able to tell the people we love that we love them without using our charge card on a designated day. Isn't it much more romantic to get a surprise treat from your lover on Monday in March just simply because you are loved and it's Monday in March? Shouldn't we send cards and love letters and flowers just because they are fun to share?

Ah, well. It is what it is. And today, I'll play along. I'll admit to loving the cards from the kids, all markers and stickers on copy paper. I'll confess to the joy of seeing all the happy faces this morning when everyone found their treats from me. I'll even share with you a picture of the treat I got for The Mr.

And one last whine, can anyone tell me why spell check doesn't work on blogger anymore? Am I having a stupid moment? OK, so now I can't add a photo either. Grr. Check Filkr for the photo called Wisconsin Manly-tine.