Happy Valentine’s Day!

Ah yes, it’s once again that mid-February celebration of courting day that everyone loves to hate. Even if you are newly in love and looking forward to a night full of dinner, roses, & chocolates…let’s face it, you still hate this day. And why not? Pressure is high, expectations are high, and prices? Well they’re high too.

*Breathe in* *Breathe out*

I, for one, want to normalize V-Day, no matter what that looks like. No judgement to the young couple who dresses up and goes out for a candlelight dinner. It’s just that you don’t HAVE to do that. Nor should you.

Let’s remember all the folks who are busy tonight cooking & serving those candlelight meals. Do you think their lives are any less romantic? Having logged in 15 years as a waitress & bartender, I can assure you that romance in all forms abounds in the restaurant biz.

Side note: what actually IS more romantic than the line cook saving you some food at the end of the night?! Nothing dear reader, nothing 😉

So, having this be the 44th Valentine’s Day I’ve experienced, I’d like to share some of my wisdom. It’s just another day. Love that wasn’t there yesterday isn’t going to be any more present today. Marriages that need work aren’t going to be salvaged just because of the date. People are born today and people will die today. If you want to honor the essence of love, be kind; buy someone who can’t repay you a meal; sit and talk with a stranger on the bus; TIP YOUR SERVER MORE THAN YOU THINK YOU SHOULD; say ‘thank you’ often and mean it.

And most importantly, if you, like me, are spending Valentine’s Day in a most unromantic way, be proud of that too. This is the season I’m in and there is nothing wrong with noshing some double cheeseburgers from McDonald’s in your car before lacrosse practice. The kid is, after all, the product of some pretty amazing romance.

Oh, and don’t forget – tomorrow is my favorite holiday – 50% off candy day! 🍭