Leisurely Love

As Valentine’s Day comes and passes, friends and family alternately celebrate and ridicule the holiday in an endless battle. Personally, I enjoy the holiday even though I am single. On this day, I can eat as much decadent and rich chocolate as I want and imbibe as much of my favorite wine as I reasonably can. Check out my decadent hot chocolate for more cozy drink inspiration!

Chocolate dipped strawberries? Check.

A glass of Casillero del Diablo Cabernet Sauvignon? Double Check. (As in two.)

Chocolate truffles - Jyun-Lei Jheng flikr — Photo by Jyun-Lei Jheng | Flikr

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Love

Should love make things complicated? Should it change how we view everyday activities? When I think of the perfect Valentine’s Day, I don’t think of some extravagant affair in a dimly lit restaurant. A perfect evening would include creating a nest of pillows, wine and munchies, a good movie, and a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle. I’m secretly a hopeless romantic, so when I find someone who I can be happy spending such an uncomplicated evening with and feel completely comfortable with, I’ll know that he’s a keeper.

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Valentine’s Day is about celebrating love, and despite the hallmark reputation, sometimes it is necessary to set aside a day to appreciate your partner. Yes, being in a deep relationship means you love them everyday but that doesn’t equate to celebrating your love on a daily basis. You show them non verbally in small actions that you still love them, with a few “love you”s mixed in. If we constantly stimulate our partner in a direct manner, the words and actions lose their power.

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Valentine’s Day acts as a special reminder that we love our partner, through the mundane, the exciting, the monumental, and the minute events in our lives.

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My ideal special evening, in our pillow nest, would allow me to have my partner’s full attention. I would sit there, look him in the eyes, and tell him my feelings, listing what I appreciate him for. Pausing, I would take a deep breath and exhale. Then the three little words would come rushing out of my mouth. I love you. A simple night, but an effective one.

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Sheets - Vivian Chen flikr — Photo by Vivian Chen | Flikr

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As a sociologist, one of the most relevant facts that professors drilled into my brain was this: Birds of a feather flock together, not opposites attract. When we find someone we can bear to spend our most horrendous day with, it is a person with which we share something in common. Whether it be personality, life goals, interests, lifestyle, etc. there must be a commonality. It should not be akin to mixing oil and water. If I like chocolate, wine, and quiet nights indoors, his preferences should not starkly contrast my own.

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Whenever I find someone I wish to spend my days (and nights…) with, I am willing to compromise but the core essence of my perfect Valentine’s Day won’t change.

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What is your perfect Valentine’s Day like? Or what has been your best Valentine’s day? Leave a comment below!

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