I drew a heart. Valentine’s Day arts and crafts!

I don’t love Valentine’s Day.

This is not a ‘New Thing’ or ‘Something I Learned’ - it’s just a holiday and it’s probably on people’s minds as (if) they’re reading this, so I guess I’ll make a quick commentary on Valentine’s.

I mean, listen, it’s fine. Celebrate love, OK. There’s nothing wrong with that.

As an adult, though, I’ve never (and luckily Kathy feels the same way) felt the need to make a reservation on a busy restaurant night and express love on Valentine’s Day any differently than any other day of the year.

But I guess I’m probably holding on to some angst and dislike towards the day from years ago.

In the days before ‘everyone should bring a valentine for everyone’ in school, it was kind of a crapshoot. Some kids brought a lot. Some kids didn’t. Some girls that some boys might have liked never did. So some boys were never sure if they should give valentines or not.

And then some boys went on to all-boys high schools and didn’t have to worry about it anymore.

But the stress of the day remained.

And then, as a teacher, well, it’s kind of an unusual day. There is a buzz, an underlying excitement because it’s kind of a holiday, but it’s really not anything that should interfere with school…but it does.

So I was always relieved when Valentine’s Day fell on the February vacation week.

This year is one of the worst kinds of Valentine’s Days - not only does it fall on a school day, but it’s the Friday before vacation so everything is a little off the wall anyway. (Obviously this doesn’t affect me, but it’s something I still think about.)

The good news is, it’s just one day.

Kind of like Halloween - another holiday that’s towards the bottom of my list - you get through the day and it’s behind you for another year.

Maybe as a teacher you have to deal with a little candy hangover.

As a parent, though, I try not to completely ignore it.

When I was growing up my dad always did something for my sister on Valentine’s Day and I always remembered that. So I try to give the girls a little something, and hopefully that will be a positive memory for them on Valentine’s Day in years to come.

And I do have another positive Valentine’s Day experience: I often think of the Family Circus cartoon. They used to have prime time holiday specials - Easter and Valentine’s Day were two that kind of stuck in my brain and I kind of enjoy thinking back on them.

I couldn't tell you what they were about but there are distinct scenes that live in my memory (Billy drawing a heart, I think?) and bring me comfort. I don’t know that I can ever re-watch them because they can’t live up to my memory of them.

Part of me wonders if I’ve just never liked Valentine’s Day because it’s February and I have come to learn I kind of struggle through January, February, and March. And I think I always have.

I might not dislike Valentine’s Day. I might just dislike February 14th. (Plus Februarys 1 through 13 and 15 through 28. And sometimes 29.)

Which is maybe why people try to celebrate Valentine’s day - it’s right smack dab in the middle of some dreary times.

So, listen, Happy Valentine’s Day if that’s a thing you like.

And if it isn’t, let me be the first to congratulate you on making it halfway through February.

We’re almost there.