Valentine’s Day didn’t start as a truly romantic occasion. It was actually named after St. Valentine, a priest, who was beheaded for disobeying the decree of the emperor of that time. This emperor was set on maintaining a strong army by ordering that soldiers should be unattached and focused on their responsibilities. But St. Valentine secretly conducted marriage between soldiers and their girlfriends who were so in love that he was jailed and put to death when his actions were discovered.
There were also other “St. Valentines” who were considered inspiration for the Valentine’s Day that we know today. But one thing’s for sure. All these “St. Valentines” were all selfless and martyrs. Yet the Valentine’s Day celebration of long ago could also be connected to the pagan festival of love called the Feast of Lupercalia. But whatever history Valentine’s Day had to offer, what matters now is how we celebrate this day at present.
So how should we really celebrate Valentine’s Day?
The truth is, it is not only for couples. As we look back on the history of Valentine’s Day, we must realize that we are actually celebrating the martyrdom of St. Valentine who was too selfless and kind to think only of himself. So it is not just exclusive for lovers. The kind of love that we must celebrate on February 14 should be universal. It should encompass all peoples and all kinds of creation.
And so how can we make Valentine’s Day a truly extraordinary day?
When we think about St. Valentine himself, two things must come to mind. Kindness and love. From here we can think of ways to celebrate this day in memory of him. Here’s some ways to do it:
Be kind not just to our loved ones but everyone who crosses our paths.
These include beggars or homeless persons. We don’t even have to give them money. By giving them food and water, we make them less hungrier and less unwanted. We can help change their lives for the better because of this.
Appreciate more and criticize less.
Words are very powerful. They can make or break hearts. So if we can be more gentle with our words for the people we meet today, then we can be sure that we have made more people happier. Words that encourage and appreciate can change forlorn hearts. They can turn those into hope and contentment. This means brighter days ahead for people who are suffering from depression, insecurity, stress and anxiety.
Show gratitude.
There are many people who do kind and thoughtful things for us, yet we often forget to thank them because of our hectic schedules and other priorities. Valentine’s Day is one special day to show our gratitude to them. We can send these people some flowers, chocolates and thank you notes. This gesture will surely touch their hearts!
Reach out to those in dire need of help.
Valentine’s Day is more exciting when we celebrate it by doing something quite extraordinary. How about trekking for a cause with our special someones and our friends? Or how about going to a concert for the benefit of cancer patients? We can also have fun by cooking and giving the food to people we don’t know, or we can even bring the food to animal shelters. There are so much we can do to spread love and happiness on Valentine’s Day.
Make people laugh on Valentine’s Day.
We can make people smile by goofing around and doing silly things to make their day a lot brighter. Or we can just have a good time with all our friends and our special someones by reminiscing about very funny things we did in the past. The hearty laughs will definitely bring good vibes and cheers all around.
February 14 should of course be a happy day for lovers.
If we’re in relationships, we must remember that February 14 is meant to make our boyfriends/girlfriends/partners/husbands/wives feel special indeed. But we must remember that the happiest people, and those having the happiest relationships, keep the day special to themselves. Post on social media if we must, but let’s make sure to keep some things private. Being too mushy on social media and in front of many people is frankly in bad taste.
Lastly, Valentine’s Day shouldn’t be such a sad day for all singles out there.
Just think about St. Valentine’s life and be reminded that this day should be for everyone who has lots of love and kindness to offer the world. Love is meant for all. Let’s not be sad if we don’t have a special somebody in our lives yet. And let’s not wait for love to come knocking at our doors, especially on Valentine’s Day. The best thing to do is spread love ourselves, not just on Valentine’s Day but every day.
