It’s All About Galentine’s Day
Yesterday was St. Valentine’s Day, the infamous February 14th. The day some of us dread and others look forward to with bated breathe. It is the holiday when we celebrate “love.” In the days leading up to the big day, we find ourselves surrounded by so many signs that tell us how we should be loved. Images of couples snuggling together, walking hand-in-hand, gazing into each other’s eyes are everywhere-on social media, in the movies, on television; in the form of heart shaped decorations in department stores trying to pedal everything from perfume to designer bags. We are told that we need to be showered with hearts and flowers and lots and lots of candy. We are programmed to believe that we need a significant other in our lives to feel complete. After all, it’s Valentine’s Day. But let’s face it. This ideal version of love is impossible to achieve and it can be daunting and depressing if you don’t have that other half in your life. After all, it’s what’s expected. Right? Yet, as I was going through my day yesterday, I took a moment to think about what Valentine’s Day really means, at least to me and the fact of the matter is none of us are truly ever alone, are we?
Love takes many shapes and forms. It comes in different packages. Think about it. We are loved by our parents, our siblings, our aunts, our uncles, cousins. We are loved by our sons and daughters, our grandparents. We are loved by our co-workers, our mentors, even our baristas and the yoga instructor who tries to push us to the brink of death. We are loved by our dogs, our cats and other domestic animals who cozy up to you at the end of a long day. You get the point. We are loved. And for me, none is more important than the love of my girl friends (no offense, hubby).
I have a core group of friends that I’ve known for most of my life and they are a group of some of the most amazing women I have ever met. My friends are fiercely loyal. They are loud and opinionated. They polish off a bottle of wine (several if I’m being honest) in one sitting. They come over unannounced to cheer me up if I’ve had a hard day. All they need is that one text from me with a sad face emoji or hear the sound of my sigh in a quick phone call to know something is wrong and they magically appear. They help me pick up the pieces when my world shatters into a million pieces and let me know that everything will eventually be alright. They are laugh-out-loud funny, bitchy, crazy, hormonal and they are my rock and my strength. Most importantly, they love me, flaws and all.
So in honor of them, I celebrate Galentine’s Day and I encourage you to celebrate the friendships in your life! They are as precious as any rom-com love out there, maybe even better!