The meaning of this holiday has changed a lot over the years and centuries. From a pagan fertility festival, to a celebration of courtly love, to a day to show affection to your significant other, and to , finally, a commercial celebration, the appreciation of it is still quite mixed.
In the article cited below[1], where the history of the holiday is briefly explained, sociologist Jean-Claude Kaufmann says: "It is up to us to reinvent Valentine's Day [...] so that it becomes the celebration of love in all its forms. We must not let this holiday disappear! Because we need love more than ever." Completely agreeing with Kaufmann, I suggest that you "forget" the chocolates and flowers and focus on yourself. Why not be your own valentine?
With the madness of everyday life where time is too often lacking, with social media where comparison is much too easy and, unfortunately, judgment too, we quickly end up forgetting ourselves and anchoring ourselves in a routine of appearances rather than a routine of well-being.
Take advantage of this holiday to celebrate yourself and the love you have for yourself. It's easy to forget, but you are the most important person in your life. It's important to truly love yourself, not to love others better but simply to live better with yourself.
Today, take care of yourself! Wear the clothes you only keep for a special occasion, compliment yourself, take yourself to a restaurant or buy yourself that beautiful plant you've been eyeing for weeks (it's even going to live much longer than flower!), organize an evening just for yourself! The focus is to pamper yourself, find yourself beautiful and love yourself.
I think it's time to value loving ourselves without needing the gaze of others to validate our beauty and/or our potential to be loved.
You can also take advantage of this holiday to remind the people you care about that you love them and to pamper your pets!
- Sam
[1] https://www.geo.fr/histoire/quelle-est-lhistoire-de-la-saint-valentin-203591