Where Is The Love?

About ten years ago, two weeks before Valentine’s Day, I walked up to the counter at a card store and handed the sales clerk my stack to check out. As he counted out my cards to ring up at the register, his jaw got closer and closer to the floor as his eyes widened, “Boy, you sure do have a lot of boyfriends!” he said. At first I was slightly taken aback by his comment until I realized that he mistakenly thought the 52 Valentine’s cards I was buying were all for romantic interests. Let’s just say he assumed I got around. A lot.

As I tried to explain to him that I had many, many people in my life that I loved, I realized that I just wasn’t getting through. He wanted to believe that I was just hot stuff, and who was I to burst his bubble?

However, that incident left an indelible mark. Why does our society have such a limited definition of love? I have always adored Valentine’s Day, not for its romantic inclination, but because it celebrates love. Anyone can have an abundance of love in their life if they open themselves up to the possibilities of where it can be found.

Love can be experienced as many different feelings, from deep caring for another person to altruism, well-being, kindness and empathy. Really, why limit yourself to just one “type” of love? Love is one of those rare feelings to take on an infinite number of forms in our lives. Be it between a parent and child, siblings, cousins, best friends, fellow volunteers or mentor and mentee.

I have celebrated many Valentine’s Days without a significant other, but rarely felt like I was missing out as I cherished all of the love that was already in my life. My husband may not appreciate this, but if you’re putting all your eggs in one love basket, you may end up with a bunch of cracked eggs.

So maybe it’s time to stop searching for or idealizing that one true love. Love is infinite, love is abundant. And one thing I know for sure – the more you share, the more you get.

So yes, Valentine’s Day is my favorite holiday and second only to my birthday as my favorite day of the year. It’s a time to celebrate everyone that I love and count all of the blessings that I have in my life. So if you’re still thinking that Valentine’s Day is only for googly-eyed lovers and long-married couples, and you’re asking yourself, “Where’s the love?,” I invite you to consider another option.

Love ALL the ones you’re with.

©Liz Dennery Sanders 2009

Liz Dennery Sanders wants you to build your buzz and be successful beyond your wildest dreams. As the CEO of Dennery Marks Inc., a brand development and celebrity outreach firm, she founded SheBrand, to help female entrepreneurs, executives and small business owners build powerful personal brands with style, attract more clients and position themselves as experts in their industries. You can reach her directly at info@shebrand.com or https://www.shebrand.com.