Celebrate!

The teacher part of me doesn't care for the holiday much at all. Valentine's week (for 8th graders) is all about the drama - boys bring gifts for girls, girls bring gifts for girls, boys breaking up with girls, girls breaking up with girls, tears, sugar, balloons, tears... Teaching is difficult. Textbook learning takes a back seat to life's lessons in love.

The newlywed part of me is a little nervous about Valentine's Day. Does it have to be the perfect love day with my perfect new husband? I always ruin things like this. I'll get all worked up and end up in tears myself because dinner wasn't good or the gift didn't go over well. Our first Valentine's date was Pizza Hut and an Office marathon. That was delightful! Oh, Jim and Pam... What a great love story, yes?

My feelings about Valentine's Day change often. In the past, I wanted to boycott the holiday all together. I don't do Valentine's Day, I would claim. How dare those people try to make money by telling us we have to buy chocolate and flowers. I don't even like chocolate, and flowers die! That's really not true, though. I do like chocolate (70% cacao, please) and flowers are lovely (keep vases for art projects!). At this point in my life, I'm glad someone said, "Let's remind our loved ones that they are just that." It's important to remember to celebrate love. After all, it does make the world go round.