Dear Cupid: Handling Heartbreak on Valentine's Day
Image Courtesy: Graphic Design
Dear Cupid,
This isn’t what you think.
I’m sure you’re expecting to read a pitiful lament about my failed relationship. An all-inclusive report on your inaccurate arrows, terrible aim, and ultimately why Valentine’s Day sucks. While I am currently handling heartbreak, this isn’t my big “screw you” to love.
I’m not saying a breakup is easy around this time of year. When you walk into any store, you're practically hit in the face with life size teddy bears, bouquets of roses, and the words “Be Mine” plastered all over the place. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for feelings of rejection and hard to forget memories to bubble up as a result of these iconic gestures of love.
What I can’t help but wonder, however, is why we often only associate Valentine’s Day with the idea of loving someone or being loved by someone. Why is romance so ingrained in our definition of love and relationships?
It may seem obvious that love and relationships exist platonically such as friendship and family, but if this differentiation is so clear to us, why don't these two have their own celebration in our society too? We can claim we group platonic and romantic love into Valentine’s Day, but I’ve rarely seen Valentine’s Day cards that read “Thank you for being the best sister,” or “You’re a great friend!”
We are taught from such a young age to experience Valentine's Day in this romantic sense. When I was in elementary school, we would designate a whole class period for exchanging Valentine grams and candies in shoe boxes we had each designed. I remember one year my teacher telling the class that this was the “perfect opportunity” to tell our “crushes” how we felt.
As I go through this breakup during Valentine’s Day, I’ve realized that while it may be difficult not having a certain someone to express your love to, the opportunities to reinterpret love in day to day life is endless. Valentine’s Day is like a pin on a bulletin board; a reminder of the ambiguous ways love appears and lives right under our noses.
Love is:
“A hug,”- Atharva Barve, Cornell University
“Seeing friends bring back a chocolate chip cookie from the dining hall,” - Esmeralda Moran, Boston University
“Having the courage to tell the truth,”- Kenza Scott, University of Nevada Reno
“Being excited to talk to people,”- Anna Kawai, Boston University
“Making someone laugh when they’re sad,” - Shivani Jajoo, Vanderbilt University
“Waking up with my dog’s face squished against mine,” - Luke Gerben-Kaspar, Community College of Allegheny County
“Appreciating flaws more than strengths,” - Paige Yoskin, Boston University
“The little things,” - Mayka Chaves, University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy
So Cupid,
Yeah, I'm handling heartbreak, but Valentine’s Day is just another 24 hour ordeal! Love doesn't just start existing because of heart-shaped balloons in grocery store aisles. And it certainly doesn't stop existing because of a broken heart. Valentine’s Day is another day for us to remember that love exists. Love always exists. Even in those places and times we might not pick up on right away.
And that’s okay with me.
Happy Valentines Day!
Strike Out,
Writer: Annika Chaves
Editor: Paige Yoskin
Graphic Design: Maggie Tyndall
Boston
