Happy Sunday everyone and a very Happy Valentine's Day to you all as well. I hope you are all celebrating if you are lucky enough to have a valentine, but if you don't that is perfectly okay too. Some have someone special with them today, some of us have a special someone that can't be with them today, and some don't have one at all but you know what? That is perfectly okay too because you can be your very own valentine in that case! Today is all about love and showing those around us that we care. Traditionally that means a lover, but it doesn't need to only mean that! I want to talk today about love, because what better day to revisit that topic than Valentine's Day?

I am going to start off, as I am sure you are all expecting me to, by saying if you are in fact celebrating in person with your valentine this year make sure you are smart and safe. We are still in a global pandemic here so you do not want to end up sick in a couple of weeks just because you decided the holiday was worth ignoring restrictions and safety guidelines, make sure you make safe plans! Now, love is not a new topic for my page here. I have always said love is something that the world always is in need of more of. Love comes in all shapes and forms. Today is traditionally about love between lovers, but it there is no rule at all to say it has to be. My family has always exchanged little gifts and cards on holidays, I love buying small gifts for my niece and nephew and for my bosses' kids at work, and my one boss's wife always send in a little gift for me as well. Of course Valentine's Day is not about gifts necessarily, but it is about showing someone in your life that means something to you that you care.

Valentine's Day, however, is not the only day you can do this either. Every single day we have the option to show the ones we love that we care. Cook dinner for your spouse on a night they may not want to, surprise them with their favorite movie and snack for a random at home date night one night. There are so many things you can do to show someone you care about them on the other 364 days of the week. Love between two soulmates is a very beautiful thing and that should be celebrated every day of the week not just on a commercial holiday. Sure candy hearts, heart shaped boxes of chocolates, cute cards, and fuzzy teddy bears are all fun and exciting to exchange, but there are so many ways to show you care without those things.

Now as I mentioned earlier, a lover is not the only type of love that needs to be celebrated. Family members, close friends, and even yourself are all other really good sources of love that should be celebrated. There is no rule that you shouldn't wish your friend a Happy Valentine's Day or get your mom a box of chocolates. Heck there is also no rule that says you shouldn't buy yourself some candy or flowers for Valentine's day. Love really is all around us even if so many do their best to try and tear it down. The world will never be a bad place because there is more love in it. The world will never suffer because there is more love in it. Love will always set us free, especially with the love we find within ourselves. As soon as we let love in, misery has no place anymore. If we love ourselves and each other everything gets a little brighter and the smog filled skies will start to dissipate. Choose love every single day.

Overall I want you all to remember just how special love is in your life. Maybe you are single and bitter because it is Valentine's Day. Trust me I have had my fair share of bitter Valentine's Days that I rolled my eyes at any couple I saw and overall just wanted the reminder of being single to be over with. You should never envy others that have found love for there is plenty of it still needed in the world. Your person might be closer than you know it. Someone else's happiness doe not mean that you will never find your own. Smile because they found love, smile because you also have love in your life, and smile knowing that one day that also will be you. The world is always better with more love in it, and not just on Valentine's Day!