A Valentine-less Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day. A potentially sore subject for some, and a potentially exciting subject for others. In my experience, Valentine's Day has never been much more than an excuse to wear pink and eat some candy. This year, however, everyone seemed to be very concerned with whether or not they had a "Valentine" to share the day with. While there are currently no "Valentines" in my life (sorry Grandma), I am happy to report that I did not let this ruin my day.

I happily spent my February 14th with some of my best friends, doing little more than simply enjoying each other's company. Whether we were coloring, watching the Olympics (USA! USA!), exchanging handmade Valentines, or just sharing the same space, we always managed to find something to laugh about. The highlight of my day, however, involved slightly more activity.

My good friend, Megan, has an aunt (Maura), uncle (Sean), and Goddaughter (Maggie) who live in the city and they are some of the most generous and welcoming people I have ever met. They have invited us to their apartment many times to visit and share some delicious home cooked food. Sunday was no different. Megan regularly babysits her adorable one-year-old cousin, Maggie, and this time she invited a few of us to go along with her.

The beautiful people I spent my day with :)

It's amazing what a new environment and a little change of scenery will do for a group of college students who have been confined to the 8'x13' rooms of Simpson LLC for longer than they care to think about. Their beautifully furnished, two-bedroom apartment was incredibly comforting for the simple fact that it was a home. Living in impersonal, standardized housing has caused us to forget that furniture doesn't have to be bland and industrial, and couches are allowed to be soft. Sean and Maura also have a very impressive art collection which we couldn't help but notice. It makes their apartment incredibly stimulating and it makes me think that I need to devote more time to visiting art galleries.

The whole evening was extremely refreshing, both mentally and physically. I thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of it, from the company to the food to the furniture to the adorable little Maggie. So while it was quite different from the traditional date including flowers & candy, I don't think I could've asked for a better way to spend my Valentine's Day.

"Love is the greatest refreshment in life." -Pablo Picasso

All my love,
Kate