Valentine”s Day is a polarizing time of year. Some people love spending the time with their significant other while others rue the day for ever existing. I simply don”t care about this special day because it”s not for me at this time.
However, I do find it odd how the creme de la creme of love changes throughout life.
Luis Torres
Rawr
For children, the holiday is more of a group celebration of friendship. Many elementary teachers ask children to create Valentine”s Day boxes or bags that end up being filled with cards and treats from classmates.
I remember gluing hearts to my own Valentine”s Day box with my mom, hoping that my classmates would love our decorations.
From there, everyone would share “Be My Valentine” cards and delicious candy. It was a time when the holiday was fun and light-hearted, without the pressures of romance.
Then middle school hit and the tone of the holiday changed.
Gone was the emphasis on spreading love with friends and in came independent romance.
The holiday also changes a great deal because of the increase in peer pressure that happens in middle school.
But quite honestly, it”s not really a big deal in middle school and I never recalled the day being relevant.
It”s high school where you see couples start to embrace the day. From giant teddy bears to heart-filled Facebook posts and videos of goofy serenades, high school was definitely a time when love was in the air – and on everyone”s social media.
These days, Valentine”s Day is still far less about delicious treats and sharing colorful cards with peers and more about finding a date or orchestrating some grand gesture for your significant other.
I”m not a relationship expert, but it”s clear that people begin to experience Valentine”s Day in different ways as they grow older. While the holiday isn”t what it used to be when we were children, that doesn”t mean it”s any less exciting. Whether you”re in a committed relationship, keeping it casual or enjoying the single life, the holiday really can be whatever you want it to be.
The difference about Valentine”s Day is that it”s just no longer about group unity but more about the one individual you”ve fallen in love with over time.
Luis Torres can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @TheLTFiles