editor’s note
A
All you need is Love
On a day that glorifies romance, have we forgotten what love really is?
Valentine’s Day is usually a day in which people convey their love to
one another by presenting gifts, such as cards, candy, flowers and other
symbols of love or fondness. On Valentine’s Day—a holiday set aside
for a chocolate-fueled celebration of all things romantic—the question
resounds deeper than ever: What is love?
Romantic love is perhaps most glorified because it feels like the truest
form of returned love. A romantic story, a romantic dinner and a
romantic first kiss—these things make people fall in love and feel loved.
There is the promise of mutuality and commitment—even when we’ve
seen (or experienced) it fail before.
There are plenty of men who think Valentine’s Day is a great chance to
romance the women in their lives and plenty of women who wish it
would be wiped off the calendar. Has Valentine’s Day become another
commercial holiday that cheapens romance by making it a box to be
checked off every February 14? A reason for inflated rates for the bulbs
that never fail to bring on a smile to your gal.
That’s not what romance is about! Romance is not contrived. It does not
come with a “sell by” date. Unfortunately, Hollywood and Hallmark have
led consumers to believe the 14th is romance’ big day, and if you are
alone on Valentine’s Day, you are unloved and unromanced.
There is nothing wrong with wanting to spend Valentine’s Day with
someone else. Human beings were built for companionship. After all,
life is meant to be done together. The good news is, whether or not
you are alone this Feb. 14, you don’t have to be in a relationship to
part take in the season of love. We’ve got the perfect guide for you in
our Valentine’s Day feature, with ideas on how to spend your day with
someone special.
Perhaps our culture isn’t guilty of raising romantic love. Perhaps it is
instead that we are guilty of pulling down and cheapening what love
really is—truthful, continuous, unconditional and sacrificial. Whether or
not you choose to acknowledge the significance of Feb. 14, use the
holiday as an opportunity to tell someone close to you how much they
really mean to you.
avril
Sullivan
Yours Truly
Editor