Fuck Valentine's Day: Love Is Bigger Than This

I want to tell you what Valentine's Day really is. I want to tell you how it shows up every year loud and shiny, asking people to prove they're loved properly. Asking them to spend, to perform, to compete. And how, if you're not part of that performance, it can make you feel small. I want to tell you why being single on Valentine's Day can hurt. Why being broke, overlooked, or quietly disappointed can feel like a personal failure, even when it isn't. Why a single day can make you question your worth. I want to tell you that love isn't something you buy. That romance isn't a scoreboard. That your value doesn't come from flowers, posts, or relationship status. I want to tell you that friendship matters. That kindness matters. That being alive matters. That the things holding you together rarely come wrapped in red and pink. And I want to tell you that feeling angry, sad, numb, or done with Valentine's Day makes sense. That Valentine's Day can fuck off!