What I think about hearts and flowers...

I have an old friend that says "everyday I wake up is a good day..."

I've been thinking about this, cause of course it's Valentine's day, and failure to acknowledge it might appear that I'm curmudgeonly. Well, I'm not that old, and probably not that consistently grumpy, here's my Valentine's Day Post.

I don't get all fired up over Valentine's day (or any other Hallmark Holiday for that matter). But this is not to say I am not a fan of love and romance. I actually should write that Love and Romance.

Because, I am. And Passion too.

I am a Hopeful Romantic. There, I said it out loud. Laugh if you want. I think EVERY day should have a little champagne or wine, a few flowers, some good food, a candle or two, some music, some laughter, some tenderness. I think EVERY day should a fair amount passion (physical and emotional) and that it should be expressed in ways both large and small. I'm a fan of the big splash, as well as subtle nuance.

I really like expressions of Love, Romance, and Passion (hereafter referred to as the Big Three) both given and received. It doesn't have to be (need to be) all gushy mushy and serious. Even better if there's a good amount of laughter and humor involved. Life is too serious anyways.

I think our world, or at least the Western world, has really numbed us to the joys of honestly expressing any one (or all) of the Big Three on a regular basis. Like so many other human emotions, they have been co-opted and packaged for marketing convenience. Special days, special things on special days, implications, expectations, all the freakin' $$$ involved, it takes all the fun out of it.

What would be wrong with walking in the rain, splashing in puddles, and sharing a pounder of one's favorite local beverage? Maybe it wouldn't make good film or tv, but if it's true and honest to the people participating, does it get any better? What about coffee in bed early in the morning? Or spaghetti on TV trays with a glass or two of cheap wine, watching Amelie or High Fidelity? What about saying "I love you" to someone every morning and every evening and meaning it every time? Does it lose value? I don't think so.

We get so many messages and images about the Big Three (and ok, sex) that tell us what we should be doing or when or how that we forget to trust ourselves, and forget it's ok to find our own rhythms and times and places and express our hearts and minds in our own unique ways. Often when we do take a chance and try that, sometimes it doesn't go so well, or turn out the way we dreamed, and then we're hesitant to do it again. That's just sad. I say we take all our thoughts and ideas and expressions back from every damn expert out there and just do it ourselves, our way, in our own time.

Hot dogs and milkshakes shared on the steps in the unexpected bright February sun are just as romantic, probably more so than anything Hollywood or Madison Avenue can conceive.

Boys aren't supposed to write stuff like this but I don't care about that either. I like hearts, flowers, music, candles, champagne, coffee, good food, sunsets and moonrises and long walks and dozing by the fire and all that other stuff. I love Love, Romance and Passion. And even though there are endless obstacles to it all, I still have faith that maybe somehow we can experience the Big Three every day, in spite of everything the world throws at us.

Hopeful Romantic. I suppose there are worse things to be...

That's all I have to say about that. (well, not really but I gotta stop sometime...)

Have a great evening!