OutBoise Magazine February 2015 | Page 33

33  |  OutBoise Magazine  | NEWS Where are my single lover-dolls at? I have a questions for you. A question about l’amour! What do the following three things have in common: Liturgical celebration of Christian martyrs. OutBoise.com | Issue 4.2 | February 2015 spa days and gallons of lube. But for many, loneliness will set in and all of the red roses and red velvet flocked boxes of candy will change from crimson,to purple, to cerulean. Sometimes Valentine’s Day just sucks. But it doesn’t have to if you can come around to Minerva’s way of thinking. The beginning of spring. Celebration of romantic love. Depending on your religious preferences and your location in the world, these three seemingly unrelated topics are celebrations called “Valentine’s Day.” Of course, most of us have now associated it with the latter: Romantic love. Those randy folks in the 14th century are to blame, for taking the chance to celebrate romantic love. And why not? In the 1300s if someone was lucky enough to live past 21, they would likely be dead by 45 (that pesky plague thing, don’tcha know). While the fantastical ideals of courtly love were alive and well and very inspirational, it has given us a holiday that we seem to either love or hate as the fickle arrow of Cupid dictates. Love is a human desire. It is something that knows neither color nor age; neither race nor creed; neither orientation nor social status. For many LGBTQ people celebrating same-sex marriage this year, or as I prefer to call it, “marriage.” Valentine's is bound to be full of gifts and chocolates, doves and roses, romantic dinners, Some people will be lucky enough to be with the one’s they love. Some will be unlucky enough to be without them. That doesn’t mean you can’t get through it. Don’t be a martyr: Don’t throw yourself on the pyre of the loveless and forlorn. The last thing you want in your life is to be a martyr to your own heart. Instead of thinking of the love you have lost or have never found, think of the love you have had or that may burst forth in showy profusion tomorrow. Don’t pollute the heart shaped pool of your mind with negativity. Spring into action: Use this schmoopiest of holidays to practice a little self-love. (No, NOT that kind…well…that kind too! After all, you should be loving yourself most of all). So you are alone on Valentine’s and it bugs you. Eat your favorite meal and leave room for your favorite dessert. Cuddle up with a favorite hobby, book or movie. Love can also be actively fanning the fires of your own personal desires. Feed that passion in your life and you will glow with the light that only loving yourself can provide. Spoil yourself rotten because I bet you have probably been far harder on yourself than anyone else has been. Knowing your own value will show you that no number of conversation hearts will suffice if they are being given by someone who doesn’t love you in a real way. Better single than sorry! Celebrate Love: Love is not something that you do. Love is something that exists and ebbs and flows and changes and