The Valentine Rant

**In case this is your first time here, Parmesan Fleas is a humor blog, despite the following article. I have only put it up since it is seasonably applicable. If you are looking for humor, there are 20+ hilarious articles under this one, and I hope you enjoy them all. The comedy will be back fresh in just a few days. Thanks, Josh.**

For those of you that read this blog who know me well, you knew this was coming. For those of you who don’t, I look forward to hearing your opinions regarding my beliefs on Valentine’s Day. I will approach this argument carefully and with tact. I will also put this disclaimer up, as I have on every Valentine Rant prior: I realize not all people share my beliefs. If you feel differently than me, write me and say why. I can respect anyone’s opinion and perhaps your argument will be convincing enough for me to change my beliefs.

I feel that Valentine’s Day is one of the most ridiculous, overrated, heartless concepts we as humans could partake in. The idea that all people everywhere should stand up for love is a wonderful idea; this is not at all what Valentine’s Day is about. Valentine’s Day is an idea people (not just girls) use to force a display of emotion out of someone, generally a significant other. This is my first problem with it.

I am in no way a warrior against the idea of love. I think being able to share your life with someone is a beautiful thing. I recently had a situation that, while far from love, may well have been on its way there. I could not wait to see this girl and talk to her, even about the smallest of things. It didn’t matter what we were saying, it was the bond underneath, the connection that set her apart from being just one of my friends. (This situation is still being worked out; when I know if there’s another chapter or just an epilogue I’ll be sure to edit this post accordingly. Let’s all keep our fingers crossed for another chapter though.)

I hope that last paragraph shows that I do not despise love in and of itself. I despise the idea that there is one day where I am supposed to express my love in a visible way for no reason other than that everyone else is doing it. When I feel something for someone I show her whenever the mood strikes. I text her just to say hi. I bring her a box of Whoppers because we talked about how we both love them on the phone the day before. I tackle her onto the bed and jump around like an earthquake until we’re both laughing so hard we’re crying. I show up and take her out to eat and actually have a meaningful conversation, even if she is dressed in ridiculous clothes that nobody would find her beautiful in but me. I do these things not because there is a standard telling me to, but because I want to.

Valentine’s Day takes this idea and shoves it into a convenient (or inconvenient, depending on your view) package for everyone. There are some boyfriends who love it because they only have to take their girl out on this one day and she’s content. (I can’t imagine dating a girl who would actually think that way; that lack of expression is not a relationship, no matter how you slice it.) Women can mirror this as well, cooking something or wearing something special for him on this one day. (Again, I would never stay with a girl who thought that one evening of romance would make up for a year of mediocrity.) My point is, buying the card and getting the flowers and going to Red Lobster doesn’t prove in any way that you love someone. It proves you own a calendar.

I hope I haven’t offended too many hearts or lost too many readers with this post. I hope that I made my case clear, and that nobody thinks I just hate the idea of love. Love is the most beautiful thing on this Earth, and in time, I hope everyone (including myself) experiences a true love. A love that exists in the little texts, or the box of Whoppers, or the bed earthquakes. The idea that originally created Valentine’s Day is a beautiful one, but the day in itself is just no good.

Love,

Josh