A Valentines Day Musing....

I think I will boycott Valentines day from now on. Not for the standard reasons, mind. I’m not a depressed, bitter single person who might refer to it as, “Single’s Awareness Day.” And I’m not unhappily married to a dufus who sits around all day gaming or one who “works late,” all the time. No. I’m happily married and while recently neither of us has bothered much with romantic gestures because sometimes, domestic life is all consuming, we are not an unromantic couple and we have partaken in many a valentines day in the past.

No, this doesn’t come from a negative place. I just got a really great perspective on the day today simply because, I was not a part of it. I got an outside look if you will. My hubs is away on business so we literally couldn’t have celebrated, even if we’d have wanted to. And if we’d have wanted to, I’m sure it would have just been splurging on a good dinner somewhere (or takeout, which we actually did last night) with our daughter along too. And having “celebrated,” V-Day many times before, I can honestly say it didn’t phase me at all to not celebrate it, I didn’t miss it.

I love my husband everyday. I don’t need today to convey that love. I also don’t need my husband to make extravagant reservations, bring home a pricy bouquet of flowers that will soon die or bring home chocolates in a heart shaped box, to know that he loves me. Truly, I can think of a million different ways to use the money we could spend on a Valentines date night, and, truth be told I always keep gourmet chocolate in the house. *Shrugs* Everyone else is so into it tho! Everyone has drunk the proverbial valentines day cherry-chocolate crème flavored kool-aid! And it’s all store bought!!! I really wish I would hear of a fun, non-commercial way to treat your love. I’m sure there are, they are just more rare.  Tonight, I went to the store literally, for two things, an avocado and a half gallon of milk. It was a zoo. As I went into the store and as I came out, I saw a steady succession of men, all carrying the same generic bouquets in their arms, all with the same, smug, self-congratulatory looks on their faces. Like they just unlocked the key to the universe. Um no. You’re only the 40 millionth guy to do that today, you are not unique, your woman is expecting it and you just spent $30 on something that will look pretty for a few days before it wilts, loses it’s vibrant colors and slowly decays right on your kitchen table. And she’s expecting it! Which is what kills me! Is that why they looked so pleased with themselves? They are fulfilling an expectation they are piss poor at the other 364 days? Do something unexpected, something 39 million other dudes aren’t doing. Don’t get me wrong I love flowers. My husband has the propensity for bringing them home randomly, on days it’s not required, for reasons that have nothing to do with my expectations or an ugly baby with a bow and an arrow aimed at my heart.

So I just see how ridiculous it all is since I’m not actively apart of it and I think I may boycott it here on out because it didn’t upset me to not celebrate it today. If I couldn’t care less today, why should I care next year or the year after that? I get the concept of it and the tradition and it’s all cute and well and like I said if someone out there is doing something amazingly non-heart-box-of-chocolates-and-the-expected-dozen-long-stems-inspired, kudos to them!!! Everyone is doing the same thing today and places like Russell Stover, HyVee Floral and Jared are raking it in thanks to them. But hey, if you dig it then go for it and have fun. While I miss my hubby, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like my “me,” time while he’s away. When I’m done here I’m going to hit the lights, turn on Breaking Dawn (treated myself to the DVD today!), drink some wine, eat some of those gourmet chocolates I have and enjoy the peace and quiet. Then I’ll get into bed, snuggle with my kittehs and hog the whole bed all night because I can. I miss my hubby but it makes me look forward to him coming home that much more.

Goodnight!