Dear St. Valentine

Who is St. Valentine?

The history behind Valentine’s Day is not concrete. There are many legends of who St. Valentine, the man this love-filled day is named after, was.

According to History.com, one legend is that St. Valentine was a priest during the third century in Rome. Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers, and because he was so convinced of this belief, he made it illegal for young men to get married.

St. Valentine was against this law and married young couples in secret. Claudius ordered to have him killed for his disobedience.

Another legend is that Valentine was possibly killed for helping Christians escape Roman prisons where they were abused. His act of kindness ultimately lead to his death, once again.

Before his death, Valentine fell in love with a young woman and wrote the first letter signed with “From Your Valentine,” which we see today in many Hallmark Valentine’s Day Cards.

Although there are a variety of legends of Valentine, they all portray him as a helpless romantic.

Going Beyond Tradition

In this day and age, not as many people are helpless romantics such as St. Valentine, and hopefully will not meet such a dismal end.

There are many people who will be celebrating this Valentine’s Day alone, and for those out there without someone to enjoy this special day with, here are the three tips you need to know to survive.

Don’t bash others for celebrating this day. It will only portray you as bitter and lonely. When in fact, you do not have to be.

Celebrate this day with your friends and family. You do not have to be romantically involved in order to feel loved.

Remember that this is a holiday just like any other.  Do not question why this holiday has arrived. Even if it is capitalistic, embrace it. Try to make what you can of it, a small memory now can be a pleasant one to look back on later in life.

Samalie Apira, a sophomore accounting major, is from Uganda. When asked what was her most memorable Valentine’s Day, she reflected on her very first one here in America in 3rd grade. Because she did not celebrate in Africa, she did not know to bring cards to school.

“I didn’t know anything about these tiny little cards, you know, the cute ones with candy,” Apira said. “I was just sitting there. I remember going to my parents and they were like, ‘Oh yeah, that’s a thing here.’ That was my most memorable Valentine’s because I didn’t know anything about it.”

Enjoy, and love yourself. It is okay if you take yourself out on a date. You can buy yourself flowers, chocolates, a teddy bear or even a usually unacceptable amount of tacos at Taco Tuesday.

You do not have to follow the tradition of a couples Valentine’s Day. This will promote creativity and amazing memories to look back on.

Apira said she has never had a Valentine.

“I’m always my own Valentine,” she said, “I always treat myself.”

Mark Twain once said that love is the irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired. Self love is one of the greatest of loves. So embrace this holiday and spread your love, whether it be to yourself, your family, or amongst your friends!

About Kayla Black