I would consider myself a romantic, but I must confess — I have never loved Valentine’s Day. It is just depressing going into a grocery store and seeing all the pink cards and the lineup of chocolates in those perfect heart-shaped boxes. It feels fake — and I know it’s all fake — but I still have always wished I could be the one to write someone a card and give them chocolate.

This year was the year that I found myself loving the holiday. The strangest part is, I did not have a date. 

I found that love because of my friend. We had both decided to hang out in the afternoon, as neither of us had serious plans for the holiday. It was a lovely day outside — so warm we did not need coats — and the sun was shining. We had decided it would be a good idea to walk in the Natural Lands for a while, and although my shoes got completely destroyed from all the mud and puddles from the melting snow, it was worth it. We talked about a lot of subjects ranging from simple things, like school, to complex things, like life and love and art. 

It changed my whole perception of the holiday. I have always been very much a romantic, and that has been a blessing and a curse. A blessing in the sense that I can find beauty in most things, but a curse in that I want all these things that I do not or cannot have. I feel that I am not alone in wanting a perfect romantic relationship, but I have realized that, although romantic relationships can work out really well, they are not necessary to find fulfillment. You can find those meaningful connections in other ways. Friendship between two people who really care about and understand each other can be a beautiful thing. I think realizing that has helped me find some peace with being single. Friendship can be enough — or more than enough — if you allow it to be.

Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love. We all want to be loved, but that love does not have to come in the traditional sense. Love between friends can be fulfilling in its own way.