Valentine’s Day, a day of love, romance, and relationships, has evolved from an unknown celebration to one of the most well known holidays globally. Rooting from the ancient tale of St. Valentine, this holiday originally celebrated forbidden love and long-awaited relationships, but now it is about affection in general. While the US, UK, and France all focus on romance — idolizing relationships and couples — other countries, like Norway and Sweden, center around family and friends, with romance only being a small part of their tradition. 

While this may seem like a joyful day for most, single individuals might feel extra weight of grief on this holiday.

When thinking of love, most imagine a mutual fondness between two people, usually in a romantic sense. But this is an altered idea of what I believe love and this day should represent. It should be about kindness and humanity, selflessness as a society, respect for others, and true caring for one another.

However, this does not mean that relationships of intimacy and romance should not be celebrated, but rather love for friends, family, pets, and even strangers should be considered. Valentine’s Day should celebrate life and the love that comes with it, not just whether or not one is dating.

So next Valentine’s Day season, keep not only your partners in your heart, but also your friends, family, and those who smile at you on the street. Moreover, remember to keep joy and love in your life every day of the year, not just this one holiday.