Humpday: Be Cupid, Not Just A Victim Of His Arrows
For loved up couples of all shapes and sizes, Happy Valentine’s Day. For any of us single people, Happy Day-That-Feels-Like-Any-Other-Surrounded-By-Gushy-Couples.
I understand completely how everyone who is not in a couple feels if you don't like being single. Major national holidays like Christmas are bad enough to make you feel alone, and then a whole day dedicated to being loved-up pops around annually to remind you that you're single. It’s not a bad thing at all, but it’s one of those psychological instances whereby if it bothers you that you're single, this insecurity of yours is projected tenfold everywhere you look. Often made worse when single friends receive secret Valentine’s cards and gifts from admirers they didn’t know they had. Perhaps your admirers are just really shy or their letter got misplaced by Royal Mail (which sadly isn’t exclusive to Valentine’s Day).
Even when I was in a relationship during Valentine’s Day, we couldn't be bothered because we did cool stuff all the time anyway and did what we wanted. We just used the day as an excuse to celebrate Steak and Blowjob Day – despite this supposedly being the ‘male’ version of Valentine’s Day - after all, we both enjoy steak and he always started on me first…
Okay, so despite all this love in the air, whether you're in a couple or not, I’m calling bullshit on what Valentine’s Day has become. I like the original story of Saint Valentine, the vicar who married couples in secret because of Ancient Roman Law, but I personally think that you don't need one day to force all romance and love. It should be a 24/7/365 day thing, whether you're coupled up or a single pringle. You do not have to take notice of Valentine’s Day.
Instead of wanting to be hit by Cupid’s arrow, use the day to gather inspiration on how to spread your love to the people you cherish all year round. You could buy them their favourite sweets regularly, go and visit relatives with a bunch of flowers, write a letter of appreciation to your best friends. You could think about the changes you want to make to your social life so that you see the people you love more often, or go and eat at restaurants you haven’t tried before.
On the flip side, you could give love to yourself (the most important person to love in my eyes). Buy yourself good food, take yourself on dates to the cinema or get takeaways. Have a long shower with the shampoo that makes your hair feel nice and smells good. Read in the bath or in your favourite spot, whether that's in or out of your home. Play with your pets properly or take them for a walk outside (you can technically put any animal in a harness and leash, except goldfish, that crosses the line of sense).
You are a great person to both give and receive love, whatever day of the year it is.
Your stories - the good, the bad, the ugly, and the awkward - have continued to make our day, and every week, we want to hear YOUR stories. Send them via The Unedit's Instagram, Twitter or Facebook. Keep ‘em coming. (No pun intended.)
Happy Humpday.
