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Southern Oregon Journal: Waving at Feb. 14 in the rearview mirror Sunday Feb 18, 2018 at 12:01 AM By Peggy Dover for the Mail Tribune By the time you read this, many satisfied celebrants will have grazed their way through an entire box of salted caramel chocolates. Others gritted their teeth and endured the hype of another personally lackluster Valentine’s Day. They will have remained solidly distant from social media sites and cleaned out (grazed through) the refrigerator instead. Still others don’t give a rip one way or the other as long as it doesn’t interfere with Jeopardy. #raiseshand This year, we had V Day, Ash Wednesday, and don’t forget our beloved state of Oregon’s 159th birthday all landing on an otherwise ordinary winter Wednesday. That isn’t all. February 14th is worth noting as Fredrick Douglass Day, International Giving a Book Day (like "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus," for instance), International Quirkyalone Day, for which I light a candle, Library Lovers Day, National Organ Donor Day (appropriate for those whose love life has left them feeling empty), Pet Theft Awareness Day, Race Relations Day, Read to Your Child Day, and other unmentionables made up by those with less altruistic imaginings. Some may accuse me of laziness by pulling the cheap writer’s trick of using so many column words taken directly from the internet, but my point should be obvious. Although Valentine’s Day is on our calendars and glows red from our collective techno screens, and while it is a good thing to celebrate romantic love, it’s not the only holiday in town. And frankly, romantic love, unless tried and tested in the fires of daily living over several years, requires little effort. We reflect so brilliantly in our adoring one’s eyes, after all. OK, I honestly don’t mean to sound snarky about love. I mean, it’s the most important thing. I studied about the ironies of Ash Wednesday and the day of love aligning. I could make a crude joke of my former romances becoming “as dust.” But the truth is, there are interesting parallels in the region of sacrifice. I think every day should be Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday — love and sacrifice. I regret that this article has fallen on a serious note. After all, I still love making and receiving homemade paper-and-lace valentines with little message hearts stuck to the inside, with sayings like, “dream on” or “luv my cat.” I am a romantic, after all. There’s little use in denying it. Despite teddy bears with gleamy heart eyes, and Lucy and Ethel wrapping and cramming chocolates like mad for us (appreciators of good sitcoms will get this), luv is a serious business. And I do mean business, as in sales. Even beef is getting into the act. Our beloved butcher shop offered a heart-shaped steak that said “meat me in the kitchen.” Only half kidding. But on Valentine’s Day, if you don’t come through for your worshipee, you are but dust. I’m safe, though, because Oliver the cat receives unconditional admiration from me on a daily basis (or else). The truth is, all 365 days have lists of celebrations, with more inane selections added every year. Take your pick, because each day should really be celebrated. Lovers should celebrate with valentines, and make the most of one another, and not diminish romance to an annual buzzword. You might choke on romance by giving it too much credence or for mistaking advertising fluff for the deeper magic. A person could choke romance to death with too lofty expectations. To my fellow single friends, next time celebrate something else on Feb. 14, say, International Ferris Wheel Day. From the originals in Chicago and St. Louis, to the tallest, the High Roller, in Las Vegas, one could make a heady day of enjoying the view above the jungle of flower and candy stalls. Now, we’re on to Presidents Day, which is not wholeheartedly embraced by everyone, and may be exchanged for festivities celebrating the independence of Cypress. Turkish Delight, anyone? — Peggy Dover is a freelance writer living in Eagle Point. Email her at [email protected].