My reason for falling for the "scam"

Okay, I admit it.  I'm a Valentine's Day sucker.  Oh wait, that didn't sound right.  Minds outta the gutter, please.  What I mean is that I'm one of those people who falls for the Valentine's Day "scam".  You know, the chocolate hysteria and the dozen roses bit.  And all things heart-shaped.  But please let me explain.  I do have a somewhat, if not pathetic, validation for this.

You see, growing up, I was not Ms. Popularity.  I grew up with four sisters and parents who wanted a boy.  So you can just imagine.  I was their "let's get it out of our system and dress her like a boy" therapy.  Uh-huh.  And once I was out of that phase, I entered the "teenager, acne-faced, let me find my identity" phase.  Yup.  Prime candidate for therapy.  Speaking of which.... 

Nevermind. 

Anyhoo, so you can imagine what it was like when Valentine's Day rolled around.  I got valentines in school because the teacher made you give one to everyone.  And then when I became a grown adult, there were no boyfriends.  Yuh-huh. 

So I dreaded Valentine's Day.  My biggest memory of Valentine's Day was ordering sushi and watching "Sweet Home Alabama" with a girlfriend, all the while drowning our sorrows in sake.  Pathetic.  I swore that would all change.  Once I had a significant other, that would all change.  I would have a reason to celebrate Valentine's Day.  I would be one of those crazy people who pushed through aisles of heart-shaped cards and chocolates to pick out the right one.  I would one day be the recipient of a bouquet of over-priced, half wilted roses and an expensive box of 1000-calorie chocolates.  Man, I couldn't wait!

Yeah, okay.  Not so much.  Lucky me, I married someone who also doesn't believe in the "Hallmark holiday scam".  Although, when we were dating, he did send me a huge bouquet of long-stem roses on Valentine's Day.  To my office.  With a box of chocolate.  Talk about ultimate swooo-oon.  Yeah, he suckered me in.  He also used to write me poems.  Yeah, poems.  But that was a loooong time ago.

So finally I thought I had the validation.  I now belonged to the flower and chocolate receiving group.  But that was short-lived.  Now, nada.  Okay, he does sometimes still buy me flowers and a box of chocolate on Valentine's Day...but only because he has to.  I guess I'll take what I can get.  But that's the thing.  That's why I fall for this retailer's scam.  It's the only day out of the 365 that we have that I can get validation that I am amored.  Yeah I know, it's so pathetic that I can puke.  People say that there are 364 other days that you can show your love.  And it means more when it's not expected or forced (as it is on Valentine's Day).  That would be true if you were with someone who showered you with love those other 364 days.  But for me, I'll take what I can get.  Papa-in-Suburbia is not really Mr. Romantic.

So you see why I'm pro-Valentine's Day.  After waiting 40 30 plus years to be part of it, I want to celebrate it.  Pathetic, I know.  But I stand by it. 

But lucky for me, I have my very own pint-sized Valentine to celebrate with.  He's my love!  He's my all!  He now gives me a reason to love this holiday even more.  And with reason.  He's my 365-day Valentine!

Happy Valentine's Day!