Valentine's Day Sweet Love Prize Pack Up For Grabs

Sweet Love Prize Pack Up For Grabs

I love Valentine's Day.

Not the commercialized, Hallmark-y version. Not because I think it's the only day of the year you should celebrate your loved ones.

In truth, I love it for this simple reason: I love pink and sparkles....and the stores are filled with pink and sparkles.

Okay, so that is the main reason I love the holiday. An excuse to make adorable pink cookies (that, let's be real, are usually burnt and gross, but it's the thought, right?) and a reason to buy glitter... since I was a little girl, it's been right up my alley.

However, as I get older, I've come to realize that Valentine's Day IS important, even though it gets a lot of negative publicity.

Over the years, my husband and I have been through quite a few different versions of Valentine's Day. We've done the traditional roses/candy/cards Valentine's Day. We've done the going out to eat for a candlelit dinner celebration. Our first year of marriage, we did the "we're on a majorly tight budget" and spent only $5 on each other while cooking at home. We've done the "we've-been-married-a-while-now-let's-get-massages-instead" Valentine's Day. We've done the Netflix and pizza celebration. 

We've changed our celebration for the day of love as we've changed, and I have good memories from all of them.

However, I've come to learn this over the years: Married or single, the beauty of Valentine's Day is simply the belief in the value of love.

I agree that the holiday has been over-commercialized, like so many things. Still, I think the power of the holiday is in the fact that we as a society still value love.

Love is something we often overlook in life. We get so busy making money, working on our careers, and just trying to keep up with life. We often forget to celebrate the most beautiful, most complex emotion around us.

And I'm not talking beautiful on the outside. As you know, I believe that it's the imperfect kind of love, the sometimes ugly-crying, messy versions that are the most beautiful.

But love is something that heightens our human experience, whether it be romantic love or any other type.

So this Valentine's Day, whether you're a proponent or an opponent of the holiday, I hope you'll take a minute to think about those you love in your life. I hope you'll take a moment to remember that the importance of the holiday is to take a moment and celebrate the emotion in all its forms in your own life. 

I hope you remember that Valentine's Day isn't about how much money you spend or putting on a big show one day a year. It's about remembering all year long how powerful love can be... and how it can bring a richer, fuller experience to our lives.

Happy Valentine's Day, however you celebrate,

XoXo,

Lindsay Detwiler

Head over to my Facebook Page to enter to win this awesome Valentine's Day Sweet Love Prize Pack!