What Was Your Valentine's Reaction?

Roses from my husband, Dan

How did your Valentine's Day go? Are you one of those who professes your undying love for your significant other on Facebook while your significant other sits in the other room? Are you one of those who hates Valentine's Day and goes into anaphylactic shock any time the V-day is mentioned? Are you one of those who shuns Valentine's Day because of the consumerism attached to this made-up-by-greedy-corporations holiday?

Last year, I wrote a blog post about being alright with Valentine's Day. In the past, I didn't care for it that much. I fell into the greedy corporate holiday camp. But then I started teaching and received lots of chocolate from my students.

Of course, Valentine's Day in grade school is different from the secondary level.

One recent post on Facebook read, "In elementary school, everyone was your valentine. Now you have to work for it."

Valentine's Day is still fun for Dan and me because we don't have kids. We can go on a date. In fact, Valentine's fell on a Friday this year making it quite conducive to a date.  

As we were driving to our dinner reservations, Dan and I passed a liquor store. It was busier than usual.

"I wonder if those people are celebrating or mourning," I said to Dan.

"Maybe a little of both."
 
Valentine's Day is still alright with me this year even though it made me feel older.

When I mention that I am an old lady to my students, they protest, "You're not old!"

This has to be a crock because, when I was seven, I thought my thirty-six-year-old teachers were old.

About a week ago, I was at the university, and I realized the college students looked about twelve.

"Becky, we probably looked about twelve back then," a friend from my university days said to me when I mentioned my observation.

I was in this "getting older" mindset on Valentine's Day when our restaurant server brought us the on-the-house-for-Valentine's wine sample. (Dan and I only drink if it's free, a frugal trait I inherited from my father.) No questions asked, no ID involved.

The couple next to us received a complimentary apple juice concoction. They also looked about twelve.

I was again reminded that I am getting older when I couldn't stay up past 9:00 even on a Friday Valentine's date night.

So if I were to respond to the question, "How did your Valentine's Day go?" I would reply with, "Fine. But it's starting to make me feel old."

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