Like, not once. Not even in school with those little paper cards everyone exchanged.

My friends are planning outings, talking about gifts, stressing over whether their situation-ships will acknowledge the day or pretend it doesn't exist. And I'm watching all of this like I'm observing a tradition from another planet. Part of me feels left out, honestly. Like I missed some important chapter in the book of growing up. 🌹

But another part of me wonders—do I even want this? The pressure, the expectations, the potential disappointment if February 14th passes like any other Thursday? I see girls crying because their person didn't do enough, didn't say enough, didn't prove their love in whatever specific way was expected.

Maybe my first Valentine's Day should be with someone who makes every day feel a little bit special, not just one marked on the calendar. Someone who doesn't need a holiday to remind him to show he cares. Is that naive? Probably. But I'd rather wait for something real than participate in something that feels forced just because everyone else is doing it. ✨