I pause on the coverage from my latest trip to the Sunshine Coast to wax romantic on Valentine’s Day. Okay, not really, but I wanted to put down some of my official thoughts on being single today.
I remember the first Valentine’s Day I had a real boyfriend. His name was Bobby and he was very cute. We were all lovey dovey, filled with sweet nothings and sugary gestures.
Replica teddy bear I got in Grade 7, except I'm pretty sure mine was white...
He bought me teddy bears that said, “I Love You” (which I might even still have!), heart-shaped candy and more stuffed animals. But I was getting bored. Hey, it was grade seven and my attention span was as long as my pencil eraser.
So Bobby and I met after school one day and he showered me with affection and gifts. I had to tell him that I wanted to break up. Ever since then, I’ve been single on Valentine’s Day (damn karma…).
That’s technically not true, as I had a wonderful boyfriend of almost two years who had the same take on VDay that I did: why save it all up for one day a year? But we were also one of those couples that you hate- you know the ones.
Ever since grade seven Valentine’s Day, I’ve been a disbeliever in teddy bears and chocolate equalling romance (it’s always taken a lot more than gifts to sweep me off my feet). I also don’t think it’s just a reason for Hallmark’s sales to spike. I’m not that bitter.
On every February 14th, we all get reminded what we’re “supposed” to be doing for our boyfriend or girlfriend, husband or wife, lover or mistress. For me, I tend to just go about my day as usual and smile when I get the annual Valentine’s Day card in the mail from my parents (thanks mom and dad!).
Lori Henry is a freelance Travel, Health and Hockey writer based in Vancouver, Canada.
