Valentine's Day

Once upon a time, back when I was younger, Valentine's Day was a day I feared and dreaded. That seems awful now, looking back on it, as its a day where you're supposed to try and make other people feel special, but it was never quite like that when I was a teenager.

When I was at school I wasn't particularly popular. I was quite shy and not really very confident. Add in the fact that I was Doctor Who fan and thus, of course, some kind of freak, I was a target for lots of comments. As I'd embarrass easily, Valentine's Day was an easy target to embarrass me. Its all very silly looking back on it now, but then the comments used to sting.

Of course I never actually received any cards back then, and I didn't really send any until I was a bit older. The ones I sent in my teens were full of what I thought was heartfelt poetry, which now looking back was creepy and intense and its no wonder I never got anywhere with anyone. Ah well!

I received my first ever card when I was at University. It was really exciting and I was really pleased by it. Its very good for boosting your confidence and I can remember smiling a lot that day and speculating just who might want to send me a card. I found out a few years later that it had been sent by my friends as a well meaning gesture to make me smile, which I had to admit had worked very well, but it was slightly disappointing to realise I didn't have a secret admirer.

Since then I've not really done too badly on the valentine front. I met an ex on Valentine's Day many years ago, which was kind of lovely, but it did mean that after we'd split up a) Valentine's Day was a bit painful and b) Sharing Banoffee Pie with anyone was a no-no, but you learn to live with these things! There was a year too where against all the odds I got 3 cards, which was wonderful... I never did identify who sent them though... Still I don't suppose it really matters now.

So thinking about how great it was to receive the cards I had made me wonder. How did the people I've sent them down the years feel? Of course other than my partners at the time, I never really received any feedback. Its difficult to say therefore whether any of them had any idea who sent them, but I hope that if nothing else it brought a smile to their faces. If anyone is doubt about sending a card to someone special this year I'd urge them to do it. Its a small thing, but I bet that person feels good after they open their card!

On an almost related, but tenuously so note, myself and Steven reach our first anniversary this weekend. That makes it easy to celebrate! Of course you don't have to wait until Valentine's Day to make your partner feel special and wonderful, you can do that any time you like (and so you should do too!), but I tell you what it does make for a good excuse to go out for dinner, buy them flowers or make some kind of little gesture. At least I know now that Valentine's Day isn't something to be scared of.