Thank you so much for the feedback on my last post! I’ve gotten quite a few messages, and saw how important the topic is to people. I will write about depression again in the future, but this post is about love, as valentines day is just around the corner. More specifically the different people that we can love on Valentines day, and every day after that.
Traditions
My mother and I have always been very close, and she is one of my best friends. For me I’ve never dreaded Valentines Day, as every year my mom is my valentine. We always exchange cards, and I typically get a small gift for her – most of the time handmade. This tradition has shown me that I can still celebrate Valentine’s Day regardless if I’m in a relationship or not. The two things this tradition shows me is to love yourself, and to love the people around you.
Love Yourself
No, not the Justin Bieber song, but really truly loving yourself. The amazing thing is that we are not anyone else, therefore we are not like anyone else. Loving yourself goes beyond the outward appearance of what we look like, but travels into who we are as a person. Taking intentional action to get to know yourself and what you believe in. That we are all humans and have imperfections, and different experiences than the person next to us. The commitment to loving ourselves despite what others might say, is powerful in itself to growing as a person. As Abby Wambach said “Be unapologetic for who you are”. Loving yourself gives you confidence to know that if you should ever fall or stumble, that you have the power to stand back up and be resilient.
Love the People Around You
As I mentioned earlier, I love my mother. She is and will always be my valentine. Valentines Day isn’t about having a significant other, its about loving the people around you, who add value and have created a wonderful impact in your life. For me, Valentines Day is what Christmas should be. That time you get to tell and show everyone, how much you love them, and what they mean to you. Unfortunately, we don’t say I love you enough, and even though we can assume our friends and family know, it feels good to hear it. Loving others can be done in our gestures to show we care, such as doing something around the house, or even giving a hug. I’ve been blessed enough to have a mother who always tells me she loves me, and a father who always tells me he loves me and is proud of me too.
Power of Love
Love gives us the strength to do many things, it shows us that we have the support of those around us. That these people in our lives who love us, are connected to us and willing to go the extra mile to help us in any way they can. In turn this gives us confidence to try and do new things, or new adventures. The more we love others, and the more others love us, the more we can love ourselves and the amazing things we have to offer.
This Valentines day I challenge you to let everyone you love know, and share with them how much they mean to you. Its not simply a holiday that is reserved for those who are in a relationship, but for everyone to share and enjoy.
Love,
Alex Pircer