Valentine's Day is upon us...

I don't remember Valentine's day last year - i don't even remember if i had a date - i'm assuming i did. I'm actually not a huge fan of the day and all that it entails. I think it's rather forced upon us - love me love me - buy me flowers - tell me how much you care....no thank you.

Now don't get me wrong i love flowers - and have done the floral design for several friends weddings, cocktail parties, charity events, dinner parties etc, so i understand the value of a gorgeous arrangement - of what a single blooming branch can do for an otherwise uninteresting room - of what a crystal vase overflowing with calla's can do for an entryway - of what a french ribbon-bound nosegay of peonies can do to put an unending smile upon - well - my face - i adore flowers and always surround myself with them - not to mention the gorgeous bouquets that rich sends me - so lovely...

But the idea of Valentine's day - it just seems that if someone loves you - and wants to show that love - then they should do so all the time - freely - rather than feeling the obligation of doing so on Valentine's day - which i don't necessarily think honors the idea of love in the first place. If someone you love - gives you something out of obligation - rather than from their heart - then it's totally void of any sort of romantic notion. I don't need for rich to buy me chocolates, roses, gifts and to take me to dinner to know that he loves me - he shows me that in numerous ways every single day. If he wants to do those things - then that is fine - but i don't expect it and i certainly don't think it's something i'm 'due'...

He surprises me all the time - with little things - and that is so much more interesting than 1 grand gesture predicated upon a day in february.

With rampant disappointment, girls sigh and cry and bemoan the boys they're with...the gift isn't perfect, the roses aren't a blooming crimson, the dinner wasn't romantic or intimate enough. I know it's important to some girls - probably most girls - but i suppose it would be to me as well if i based my relationships on what was given to me - and when - by the boy i was seeing - rather than that boy himself.

To each his/her own - each holiday is different - i remember several years ago - i believe it was around my birthday - and i was anticipating my ex (then boyfriend) of taking me to dinner. Mind you - at that same time i was planning my sisters wedding (i swear - it rivaled Princess Di's), chairing one of the largest charity balls in san francisco, planning a succession of 5 elaborate events for the president of Toyota and handling all the responsibility that my job as the catering director at one of san francisco's 5 stars entailed. Needless to say i was busy. Very busy. However he kept calling me - asking me where i wanted to go - did i want anyone to join us - what time i thought was best - and i ended up yelling at him that considering i planned events for a living - could he possibly handle this on his own - could he take this one thing off my plate...his response was that i did it so much better...lovely. To me - that was a disappointment - not because he didn't plan it - but because i had to - and honestly, it took me all of 5 minutes to pull that dinner together - but again, i had to...

I understand Valentine's day - but i'm still not a fan. The idea that someone was to give me something out of condition or requirement rather than from his heart...it simply takes everything that away from the gift and taints it. Appreciate the unexpected - it makes life more interesting...