I don’t suffer from Valentinits. And I’m single.

Before we begin, first a quick look at the horrible ailment that is Valentinitis, courtesy of Maggie Puniewska:

Valentinitis: A condition in which individuals lacking a stable romantic relationship begin displaying anger or depression toward any mention of Valentine’s Day. This behavior can be onset days or weeks before the aforementioned holiday and is worsened by exposure to related apparel such as hearts, flowers, anything pink or red, and the word “love”. Symptoms include frequent attacks on couples, destruction of the Valentine’s Day section at drugstores, and sudden attachment to ice cream, particularly Ben & Jerry’s.

I do not suffer from Valentinitis, even though I fit into the target demographic: lacking a stable romantic relationship, quick to anger, affinity for Ben & Jerry’s.

Instead, I love Valentine’s Day. I love that there is a day — commercial and contrived as it may be — when everyone in the country is thinking of love. I don’t mind the jacked-up prices on flowers and chocolate and cheesy romantic cards. I still buy them for my friends. I don’t mind the commercialization of romance. I still thrive on sappy love songs and store displays.

Some people love Christmas, while still acknowledging that it has become a commercial holiday rather than a religious one. In my life, Valentine’s Day is like my Christmas: a day when saying “I love you” to the people that make me smile isn’t weird or taken as a come-on, but instead embraced and enjoyed by all.