Dwight Schrute's Perfect Valentine's Day

February 14th...the day when we are all inundated with pink hearts, sappy Instagram posts, and endless chocolate.  For many people, it can be an exhausting, annoying, disappointing holiday (the chocolate's not bad, though).

Photo Courtesy of Brent Moore

I miss the elementary school days when Valentine's Day simply meant classroom parties, candy, and collecting Nemo, sports, and dinosaur-themed Valentines from the entire class.

 'Timmy gave me the brontosaurus card, do you think he likes me?!' or 'Ew, Steve's cards all have hearts on them, he's got cooties!!' were common threads of conversation throughout my second grade class--threads that I would love to have back.  These conversations all show the bliss and excitement of childhood that comes with any holiday (especially a holiday that lets kids miss a day of class).

But, as time goes on, something changes.  As we age, we tend to react in one of three distinct ways to Valentine's Day:

1. We await the day with great anticipation and enthusiasm.
2. We feel lonely.
3. We are completely indifferent.

Dwight Schrute, of "The Office" (my all-time favorite TV show), has his own way of coping with Valentine's Day: "My perfect Valentine's Day?  I'm at home, three cell phones in front of me, fielding desperate calls from people who want one of the fifty restaurant reservations I made over 6 months ago."  I suppose Dwight's reaction would fall under the "indifferent category" (cold indifference, yes, but indifference all the same).



The point is, Valentine's Day in this day and age is very flashy and heavily commercialized.  It seems as though this day is more about eating at the fanciest restaurants and buying the most expensive bouquet than actually showing the people closest to you how much you love them.  A friend told me, "Valentine's Day was created by Hallmark to make a killing off of cards and chocolate."  While this is completely untrue (February 14th is the feast day of St. Valentine), it is quite easy to see the logic behind their viewpoint.

Back in elementary school, I would always save my favorite Valentines for my best friends and make sure that they got the best color of Fun Dip attached (probably the most touching gesture that anyone can make).  In these very small, trivial ways, I could communicate to my friends how much I cared for them.

Photo Courtesy of Han N

Can't we translate some of this mindset to our own lives?  It is certainly important to express how much you care for your loved ones every day of the year, but on Valentine's Day, try to do something little that lets them know that they are extra special.  Whether that means remembering to send your Mom a card, or taking your best friend out to breakfast, any small gesture counts.

So, if your Valentine's Day fell short this year, try to make the most of next Valentine's Day; and even if you don't have a "Valentine," remember to be grateful for the people who love and care for you unconditionally every single day of the year.