Loving the day set apart for love

Lover's Day, the day of love, Feb. 14, Valentine's Day. Whatever you call it, it all has the same meaning. Valentine's Day is a day meant to be shared with loved ones. Whether it's between a couple, friends or a family, it's a time that makes you realize how good you've got it. This holiday, like any other, should make you realize that you must appreciate the people you have in your life while you have them there.

There are many speculations on how or why Valentine's Day came to be. The most common legend is of a heartless emperor who wouldn't let people marry because he thought it affected the number of men enlisting in the military.

A romantic man named St. Valentine disobeyed the emperor and performed secret marriages for young couples even though it was prohibited. St. Valentine was said to have died on Feb. 14, and that's how the day got its name.

We should all take note as to what St. Valentine did and try to become more like him. He helped others take a stand for what they believed in and didn't let anything get in the way of love. No matter what the rules were, he felt that love is something that everyone in the world is entitled to.

I asked a few Wheatland Union High School students for their thoughts about Valentine's Day. Caroline Rodriguez, 17, a senior, said, "Valentine's Day is a day that you show affection for one you truly care about, whether it's with candy, flowers or even something as simple as a card. No matter what, it's always the thought that counts."

Having someone special in your life and letting him or her realize how much they mean to you is something we should continually remind ourselves to do — but that's not very likely in our busy lives.

Even if you aren't part of a "picture-perfect, happy couple" relationship this Valentine's Day, that doesn't mean you should spend the whole day thinking about what it is that you don't have. You should spend the day thinking about how lucky you are to have everyone in your life that you do.

Andrew Gonzalez, 17, a junior, said, "Valentine's Day without a girlfriend makes me realize that, eventually, I would like someone to share such a special day with, even if I'm not ready for that type of commitment yet."

More people should have Andrew's positive outlook on Valentine's Day. I feel like everyone who is single on Valentine's Day is really negative about it. Sometimes you just have to look at things in a different light.

Sometimes we forget to realize how important our loved ones are to us, and it's holidays like Valentine's Day that remind us. It may take a while for all us teenagers to realize exactly what we've got, but when we eventually do, it'll all be worth it. The heartaches, the crying and all the other negative things we've experienced on Valentine's Day in past years become irrelevant because we realize the awful things we've been through mean nothing when you're loved and have someone to love you in return.

Natalie Ross is a senior at Wheatland Union High School. Her column appears every six weeks in Education.