Valentine's Day is an ideal day for candy lovers across campus. My favorite part of the day is being able to stick my hand in a bag of Sweethearts to start my day of sugar-high bliss. It seems that candy is necessary on Valentine's Day as an attempt to say "I love you."
I will go a step further and say candy is expected in some relationships. Some unlucky person could be in hot water if they didn't come through by satisfying their significant other's candy craving. It seems that candy has taken on the role of showing our appreciation toward others on this particular day.
Unfortunately, the days of elementary school where you had a pouch taped to the front of your desk overflowing with valentines and candy are over.
The three simple words, "I love you," aren't as easy to say now as they were when we were toddlers running around our third-grade classrooms. Instead, it seems much easier to say "I hate you" these days. It seems easier to say these words than it is to embrace someone who took the last doughnut from the Bookmark Caf+â-¬.
It's shocking to me that we have to rely on Valentine's Day to spread love to people that are closest to us. The day is often stressful because of dinner reservations, shopping for the perfect gift and wondering what words to scribble in a card.
Valentine's Day may drive some people into relying on "The Passionate Kiss" to get them through the night. It's not the type of kiss you will get when you finish a romantic dinner, though - The Passionate Kiss is a mixed drink with Southern Comfort.
Comfort is something we all essentially long for, as we go through stressful weeks of classes and writing countless papers. Comforting someone when they need it the most isn't something that should only occur on one day of the year. The idea of being supportive of someone should be a point of emphasis every day.
It's no secret that Valentine's Day is commercialized to make us feel the need to buy teddy bears, massive amounts of candy, necklaces and outfits to impress those closest to us.
The idea of impressing someone should be thrown away easier than moldy cheese. Heck, if your lover or friend smells like moldy cheese once in awhile, you should still feel compassion for them.
Love, comfort and compassion are key factors in relationships, regardless of if you are sleeping together. They should be thought about on a daily basis, even if you are having a bad day because you wanted the last candy-shaped heart.
The valentines we received in elementary school should serve as a reminder that we can all get along, regardless of if we will be receiving a Spiderman valentine from our secret admirer. The joy of interacting with others goes far beyond what we can get for each other but hinges on what we can do for others on a daily basis.
If you are flying around on your sugar high today, remember to think about someone who has given you support throughout your life and didn't wait until Valentine's Day to drop off a box of candy to secretly say "I love you."
Write to Dan atdaladig@bsu.edu
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