A Toast to Valentines Day

For as far back as I can remember, I've loved Valentines Day. Maybe it's because I'm such a girly girl, and I love making homemade Valentines Day cards and mailing them out, snail mail status. Maybe it's because, despite my cynicism about love and dating these days, I am a true romantic at heart: I am actually one of those women, like the Jennifer Lopez's and Elizabeth Taylor's of the world, who are in love with being in love. I get over one beau or one bad boy or one broken heart and jump right into something new, five minutes later, and put my heart right back out there again.

It can be emotionally exhausting.

As a kid, I loved getting Valentines. I remember in 4th grade, I had THE world's BIGGEST crush on a boy who just would not like me back. At least, not in the same way. We did homework together, and sometimes, I'd let him look over at my spelling test to get the right answers. But he never really reciprocated the affection.

It could be because, in 4th grade, I got braces and had a bob with a perm. I look back now, and I am mortified.

Even still, this kid ended up doing some time later in life, and he also never grew past 5'4. So I figure, the universe unfolded as it should have.

That early rejection may have scarred me in some small way...I'm still somewhat afraid of rejection, as are most women. But on Valentines Day, I can't help but feel a little hopeful that maybe love is waiting, right around the bend.

The past two years, I haven't had a Valentine. Sure, I was romantically involved with people (if that's what you want to call it) (I call it dysfunctionally involved with people) but nobody was sending me a dozen roses.

This year, one of my dearest friends, Ashley, and I decided to jump in her SUV and drive up to Sedona for the weekend. This is actually our second annual girls trip. Last year, three of my girlfriends and I went to San Francisco for a long weekend on Valentines Day. We hit up plenty of bars and clubs, and had the time of our lives.

Jessica Biel and Jennifer Garner in the movie Valentines Day? Yeah, they got their inspiration from us.

Last year, I remember waiting for my flight out to San Fran to meet my friends, and I was sitting at an airport bar, having a rum & coke, tears flooding my eyes because the man I was in love with, told me the same day, "Just so you know, I'm going to make an appointment to have a vasectomy."

These are not words a woman wants to hear when she's emotionally involved with a man. Just in case you fellas were planning on using that spiffy opener.

They are definitely not words a woman wants to hear on Valentines Day weekend.

My girlfriends made the weekend so fun, I felt like I had forgotten all about him by Monday. Of course, he was waiting when I got back home, and all the drama ensued, but for one weekend, on the day when the world celebrates love, I realized, I had all the love I needed.

I had friends who loved me, for exactly who I was, and most of all...
I loved myself.

And at the end of the day, when you've got that love, everything else falls into place, too. Including new and improved Valentines.

Happy V-Day, to all my loves out there.

"Love is the one shocking act still left on the planet." -Ashton Kutcher, Valentines Day