Pink pastel hearts, radiant red roses, chocolate-covered caramels. What’s the first thing that comes to mind? Alliteration day? No, Valentine’s Day of course. With the arrival of Valentine’s Day, love is in the air. The time has come for couples to shower each other with affection and maybe a box or two of chocolates. It’s pretty easy to get caught up in the red and pink tornado that is Valentine’s Day and forget where it all started. Most people know of St. Valentine as being the namesake for the day, but what exactly did he do to inspire the creation of this holiday? Well there are a few different stories out there- one with him illegally marrying couples and another with him healing a blind jailer’s daughter. Whatever the story, they all have one aspect in common, they all are great expressions of love. The love most people focus on is the one between couples, but I’d like to look at a different type of love, a special type of love, love given to a stranger.

Love for a stranger takes a special type of bravery that is worthy of the same level of celebration as the wonderful love between a couple. Love for a stranger can come in many forms, whether it be showing some extra respect for a fast-food worker or giving an extra few bucks to the homeless. My own first experiences with Valentine’s Day included nothing more than a day filled with kids giving all of their classmates something special. No matter who you were, you got a treat from everyone, even if you’d never talked to them. Something I learned from this is that we should all emulate that type of child-like kindness. These days, February 14 is usually just a day that marks the time before I get to buy a lot of cheap candy. Other people spend the day stressing about what to get in the last minute rush. Both of these views miss the point of the holiday. It’s not just a celebration of love between couples, although it is a great thing, it’s a celebration of the love we share with everyone, despite how much we know them.

Some people might say Valentine’s Day is just a way to sell candy and cards; while many chocolate boxes and cards are sold, in the end it’s the thought that counts. Don’t look at the value of the gifts that are being given, but the thought the giver put into the gift. Many people feel excluded from the holiday when they don’t have anyone to share it with and a little extra love thrown their way can do wonders. So remember today to show your love to the special circle of people in your life, but don’t forget to expand the circle a little further.