Roses are Red...

Girls have problems.

It seems to me the norm is suddenly to hate Valentine's Day. Seriously. Every single girl who happens to fall between the ages of 14 and 25 suddenly have Facebook statuses all about how depressed they are and how February 14th is the stupidest day in the whole world and all of that nonsense.

Yes, I said it. Nonsense.

Because I love Valentine's Day.

Now, it may or may not have anything to do with the hotel lotion samples, sea-shell necklaces, stuffed animals, stolen jewelry, and vast amounts of chocolate and scented cards that decorated my desk in 3rd and 5th grade (not joking at all, by the way), but I just like the idea of  a day showing love and gratitude to those of the opposite sex. They are necessary to survival, after all. Might as well love them.

Call me a hopeless romantic. Yes, yes I am.

Valentine's Day doesn't have to mean spending exorbitant amounts of money on sparkly diamonds or  sitting in your room depressed and bitter because all of BYU campus is a big mushy pit of PDA that you don't get to participate in, and you prefer to look at it as Singles' Awareness Day anyway. 

It can simply be a day to express appreciation to those you love. Saying Valentine's Day is stupid is like saying Mother's or Father's Day is stupid.

My favorite part of today? As we were rehearsing in Singers, we split up for a few minutes to go over parts, boys in the lobby, girls in the recital hall. After a few minutes, the boys filed back in all carrying a single red rose and a note. It was so cute, the silly grins on their faces and all. Not to mention, red roses are my very favorite. Did I mention I'm a hopeless romantic? :) The note shows how truly great these men are, too.

The Divinity of Womanhood

"I wonder if you sisters fully understand the greatness of your gifts and talents and how all of you can achieve the 'highest place of honor' in the Church and in the world. One of your unique, precious,
and sublime gifts is your femininity, with its natural grace, goodness, and divinity. Femininity is not just lipstick, stylish hairdos, and trendy clothes. It is the divine adornment of humanity. It finds expression in
your qualities of your capacity to love, your spirituality, delicacy, radiance, sensitivity, creativity, charm, graciousness, gentleness, dignity, and quiet strength. It is manifest differently in each girl or
woman, but each of you possesses it. Femininity is part of your inner beauty. One of your particular gifts is your feminine intuition. Do not limit yourselves. As you seek to know the will of our Heavenly
Father in your life and become more spiritual, you will be far more attractive, even irresistible. You can use your smiling loveliness to bless those you love and all you meet, and spread great joy. Femininity is part of the God-given divinity within each of you. It is your incomparable power and influence to do good. You can, through your supernal gifts, bless the lives of children, women, and men. Be proud of your womanhood."

~James E. Faust, "Womanhood: The Highest Place of Honor," Ensign, May 2000, 96

Thanks, men. You are fantastic. :)

P.S. You may have noticed in honor of this mushy, romantical, festive holiday I love, I have added my "I'm in the mood for chick-flicks and chocolate and ice cream" playlist to my blog. Get over it. It makes me happy. Suggestions of songs to add to said playlist are welcome.

Happy Valentine's Day!!!