If you know much about me, you've probably come to realize that I carry very little sentiment around in my life, and while I love a good romantic experience, I really don't put much stock into one-time love fests. So, Valentine's Day is not high on my list of celebrations to go all out for. Now, I'm not a Valentine's Scrooge or anything. I bought Billy a gift for $3.50. And he outdid me by spending $3.99 on his gift (which technically was for the whole family, so I guess, really, I outdid him... if we're looking at the per capita rate, which why wouldn't we?)
So, Valentine's Day comes and goes around here with little fanfare. Some super moms and dating divas would find that really sad, but it's actually quite an improvement in my old attitude about the holiday.
When I was a 9-year-old child, I found the holiday so repulsive that I actually asked to get my tonsils removed on Valentine's Day. I was very well aware that I was making a statement, which was effectively, "Valentine's Day is so stupid, I would rather go under sedation and wake up to extreme physical pain that lasts 2 weeks than have to go celebrate it with my fellow fourth graders."
When I grew up, Valentine's Day became no more of a day to enjoy, but rather I continued to harbor my spite toward it. I remember quite clearly the single moms' group at my church planning a Valentine's Day mother's get together. A time to pamper ourselves without kids... sit in the hot tub and just chat like normal women who didn't have the extreme stress that we were all under (does that woman even exist?).
I flatly suggested that we make it an anti-Valentine's party and all wear black. Everyone laughed thinking that I was joking. But I wasn't. This is the problem with having a dry sense of humor. It is very hard for people to know when you are being serious and when you are being hysterically funny because every facial expression you have is exactly the same and your tone of voice always sounds bored. So, even when I said, "No, I'm serious," everyone still laughed.
I don't think I will ever be the person that wants a fancy dinner on Valentine's Day. But I have at least begun to educate my children on the real meaning of Valentine's Day, which of course, is to engage in civil disobedience.
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