Chocolate-covered corruption

The sky is gray, it’s freezing outside, and we’re surrounded by hearts, chocolate and stuffed animals.

You know what day it is —it’s Valentine’s Day. The media’s biggest field day to make friends and lovers feel so guilty that they have to give in to consumption.

Let me start off by saying that I’m not against Valentine’s Day.  The true spirit of V-Day, as I’ll call it, is wonderful.  Setting aside one day a year to celebrate those we love is admirable.  However, greedy companies, media hounding and seasonal depression have turned this romantic scene into an empty-pocket depression massacre of roses and balloons.

It’s ridiculous to think that the amount we love someone could be measured by how many roses, how much chocolate we purchase, or how much money we spend on them. 
First of all, the greatest gift you can give to your loved one is yourself.  If you can’t find reasons to cherish each other in the first place, then you’re doomed from the get-go. 

Secondly, you should never just show your devotion to your partner on one society-conjured-up day a year.  Your love and devotion should be known and shown.  
We don’t need the excuse of Valentine’s Day to say “I love you,” and here’s why. 
We miss such wonderful opportunities to tell each other how we feel on a daily basis.  It’s never a bad time to tell your lover that they are your world and the most important person in it is them.

We have become so emotionally numb that a lot of us have forgotten how to say I love you without a price tag attached to it.  Antidepressants and false ideals bestowed upon us by TV shows and movies leads us to believe that if you don’t buy the best chocolate or the most expensive diamond ring ever, then you don’t truly love that person.

The world couldn’t be more wrong.

A box of sweets and a bouquet of roses are wonderful gestures, but they’ll never replace the embrace of a lover’s touch or the warmth of your soul mate’s kiss.  Those gifts should be treasured now and forever.  Sweets get devoured and flowers wilt and die.  That emotion you get in your stomach when you know its love will remain with you always.  It’s undeniable, unforgettable, and cannot be duplicated. 

February 14 is a start, but let’s not forget about the other 364 days a year that you love your partner.  Also, if you can’t have a good Valentine’s Day without spending a lot of money, then I pity you.

Love should never be expensive; but what you could lose without love is priceless.