Love should unite those who care for each other
The word “love” is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as “a feeling of strong or constant affection for a person.” Nowhere within this definition is love defined as being a specific, romantic affection toward someone else.
This holiday is often known for its appreciation of love. Valentine’s Day has been recognized as a day to express love to those who matter most. Yet, the meaning is much more singular than its definition. Today, the holiday isn’t for everyone, it’s for couples.
The way which many people view this holiday stems from what we are taught as children. I can remember the days back in third and fourth grade in which the teacher would make us bring in little cards and candy to put in other students’ bags. My parents would smile at me as I arrived home from school and asked me who my Valentine was this year. I would blush and answer, “my whole class,” not knowing what having a Valentine actually entailed.
To me, a Valentine was a friend, and at most, a best friend, and Valentine’s Day was a day to acknowledge that friendship. But, that was in elementary school. Now it has somehow morphed into something that is seemingly no longer meant for just friends, but just for couples.
I blame adults. Children are influenced in large part by what adults around them tell them. They grow up with a view of the world entirely shaped by the adults in their life. The idea of Valentine’s Day being for couples is no different. It is what keeps the tradition so prominent.
Valentine’s Day should be a day we praise the ones we love and show our appreciation for them by giving cards and chocolates. It shouldn’t be narrowed down to the people who have a significant other.
The holiday is one of my favorites, but I know unfairness when I see it. The idea of a significant other is also very broad and goes beyond the confines of a love interest. A significant other can be described as anyone who means a lot to a person. This could be a friend, a sibling or a parent.
Valentine’s Day shouldn’t be considered a day just for those with love interests. It should be a day for everyone who truly cares about another person.
It is about expressing your unconditional love for another person and that unconditional love can be between more people than just a couple. Love is such a grey subject, but if we are going to have a holiday in the name of love, it might as well expand to all of those who claim to feel it.
