I have friend who will text me today and ask,
“What are you getting for your wife tomorrow?”
It’s a little game we play.
She knows we do nothing special on Valentine’s Day.
Americans will spend over 19 Billion dollars
for Valentine’s Day.
It’s a testament to the combined power
of marketing,
expectation,
and guilt.
Marketers show us how
shiny objects given in long slender boxes,
a perfect dinner experience capped with a ring,
a card of carefully chosen words,
equals love.
Expectation is built as the day comes near --
Will he or won’t he?
Will she or won’t she?
Is this the magic year?
And guilt, guilt for the lover who is expected to bring,
flowers, chocolates, and a diamond ring.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for special occasions
but there’s more to love than meeting expectations.