Sentimental Sundays: What's love got to do, got to do with it?

Valentine's Day is around the corner. I know a lot of folks are put off by this fete - a k a Singles Awareness Day (SAD), this Hallmark holiday, this day when displays of affection are obligatory. Even though I'm a lone wolf right now, I, and probably every kid under the age of 10, enjoy this holiday.

When we were young, Valentine's Day was all about lovin' up on our families, our friends and fellow classmates. At my elementary school, we would festoon old shoeboxes in pink, red and white paper, cutout hearts, ribbons, paper doilies and whatever other eye-candy we could cut out and affix to the things with glue sticks and tape. Upon completing our decorative odyssey, we would cut slits in the top of the boxes so fellow classmates could slip their missives inside. Adding to this red-letter day at St. Paul's the Apostle School were lil' boxes of chalky heart candies and fancy cupcakes or cookies made by "room mothers."

In junior high and high school, Valentine's Day became a sticky mess, kind of like when chewing gum gets stuck in someone’s hair. Absent from both of these academic scenarios were the big-pimpin' shoeboxes that guaranteed a heaping helping of love for all students. Elementary inclusiveness evaporated, and adolescent exclusivity and natural selection took over (i.e., pretty much everyone "liking" the same two super-cute boys or girls who suffered from high self-esteem). Love became less about families, more about friends and most about someone special. The latter was tricky to navigate and often handled clumsily through candy grams and carnations peddled by our student council. And receiving either a cherry sucker or affordable flower from someone you considered “not-so special” was worse than receiving nothing at all. All told, the day intended for fun and loving became about fear and loathing.

But thankfully, junior high and high school don't last forever. As grown-ups, we have the freedom to define Valentine's Day in our own ways and create traditions for ourselves, our children - just as we do with many other holidays. I have long chosen and will continue to choose to devote this February holiday to big love and kid things such as fancy-pants shoeboxes and pink-frosted sweets. What do you choose? Let Ecosaurus know, and feel free to share your sweet ideas and lovely photos of your Valentine's Day cards, cupcakes and more on our Facebook page. ~ A. F.