The Day of Love

This photo is courtesy of ED. Because she is hilarious.

It’s Valentine’s Day! You might be thinking that this post will be all about how much I hate V Day and love and whatever else it signifies because I’m hardly a lovey person. But, to be honest, I love Valentine’s Day. I love the colours, the atmosphere, the decorations, and, of course, the chocolate. While I’m not much into the idea of spending Valentine’s doing cheesy romantic things, I like the general idea of celebrating the people you love.
 
I used to be that girl that complained about V Day and how much I dislike it – I guess I was trying to be…something. Maybe, because I was single, I thought I needed to be really cynical about a holiday that celebrated love, and I didn’t think I had that. Except, for some reason, I didn’t think about the different types of love other than romantic. V Day can be any way you want it to be. Sure, it’s commercial, but you can take it for what it is – a chance to be totally corny and happy and wear pink and eat chocolate and tell people how much you love them.
 
This Valentine’s Day, I’ll be spending with it one of my girlfriends and a couple of her friends, going to dinner and seeing a sappy movie. And I’m so excited for it! When I was little, my Momma used to make a huge heart shaped brownie and give us treats that she made up (I still got them this year!). My Grandma has always had V Day cards for us. My earliest memories don’t stem from romantic Valentine’s Days – they stem from the love from my family. What’s better than that?! In University and after, JS and I spent Valentine’s Day together – even once in southern France while we were on exchange in Europe. I have great V Day memories, and I’ve realized that it’s not so much about romantic love as it is about love in general – and I love a lot of people.
 
My family. My really close knit family members are less than 10, but that’s really all the world could handle when we’re all together. We’re quirky. And I love that about us. I wouldn’t be who I am (read: awesome) without their influence. They make me laugh, and they’re there when I need to cry. We’ve been through a lot, and have come out stronger for it. They were there with unconditional support throughout my entire life. I can be myself with them – no airs, no pretences. Whenever I’m with them, I feel like I belong. And for a person that doesn’t often feel that way on a day to day basis, it means the world to me. I’m very lucky to call my family members my friends - I have never questioned their love for me, and I never will. I couldn’t imagine my life without my wonderful family. And, of course, the furry members. Broedie, my childhood dog who passed away a couple years ago, but who will always be special to me, and Benny, the newest member of our family, who, now that he’s here, I couldn’t imagine not having around.
 
My friends. The family we choose! Growing up, friends change. But now, at this point in my life, I feel like these friends are the ones I will have for a lifetime – at least I hope so. I can’t really capture how grateful I am to have people that choose to be friends with me (unless they’re being paid, which…whatever. I’ll take it). My friendships have changed over the years, and all for the better. I talk a lot about them in my posts – the friends that managed to get me out of the shell I was in after University, and how much that’s helped in my life to date; the friends that were there all through University and who got me through some really tough days; and the friends that I’ve reconnected with and who, without them around, would leave a big hole in my life. Gaps in friendships can happen, but it doesn’t mean they’re over. Many changes have occurred with my friends over the years, especially with my closest ones. There are some things I wish I could change, and times I wish I could get back, but the point we’re at now somewhat makes up for it.
 
So, basically, this blog is dedicated to my loves – my family and friends. And this kind of mushy I’m okay with. It’s the other kind, about a guy, that I don’t get and makes me shiver – and not in a good way.
 
Love,
 
Bella