I’ve never been a huge fan of Valentine’s Day. When I was a child, it was treated like a popularity contest. Success was measured by the number of tacky, mass-produced cards received. I would invariably lose.

I soon learned that the contest continued into adulthood. How loveable you are seems to ride on whether you receive expensive gifts from paramours.

Indeed, the pressure is on, because how significant of an other you are depends on how significant the amount of money you spend on gifts. It’s a vicious cycle. As well, if you happen to be single, forget about it. You are relegated to being an outcast.

A question began to form in my mind: Why should there be only one day of the year dedicated to love, and only romantic love at that?

Love is something that should be celebrated often and can be done in ways that don’t involve money. These include acts of kindness; calling someone you haven’t spoken to in a while; sending a note to someone as a surprise; shoveling someone’s walk for them – the list can go on and on.

Love can be extended towards friends, family, the community, nature, and other important people and parts of our lives, not just the person to whom we are married or dating (if there happens to be one). Actions like volunteering with a community organization (hint, hint), making an effort to use less and recycle, and making an effort to patronize local businesses are ways to share love.

Don’t let a commercialized date on the calendar dictate your expressions of love.