Single on Valentine’s Day? Don’t let whimsical, unpredictable romantic love determine whether you enjoy the day.

The commercial messages are everywhere you look: dewy-eyed couples cooing over red roses, diamond earrings in black velvet boxes and dreamy dinners just for two. And for those who aren’t likely to be recipients of a Valentine’s Day gift, there are self-help books and Valentine’s Day survival articles that promise to reveal the secrets to never having to spend another Valentine’s Day alone.

Is it any wonder that February 14 can send even the most savvy singular running for cover? If some of us could find a way to take the day off from planet Earth, we’d be on the first shuttle to Mars (men) or Venus (women).

Now, I enjoy romance as much as anyone does, but the fact is, love is fickle and often fleeting — something to be enjoyed when it’s present but not mourned if it’s not. And just like mythical Cupid, it flies in and out of our lives — sometimes quickly, sometimes staying a spell — yet never something we can keep captive by holding fast to its fluttering wings.

Even though we single people often judge ourselves harshly if another Valentine’s Day rolls around with no significant other, the day works its cruelty on couples too. No other holiday works so hard to convince people that the amount spent on a gift equals the quality of the love. Just watch how the price of roses triples overnight.

For me, Valentine’s Day is just a time to give a nod to romantic love — whether I’m experiencing it or not. There’s no reason to feel sad. I say show up and have fun on this silly day! We enjoyed Valentine’s Day as kids, and there’s no reason why we can’t have fun on Valentine’s Day now.

All it takes is a willingness to make it a day to appreciate the people you loved in the past and the people you love now, and to have a heart that’s open to living life to the fullest — regardless of whether or not Cupid is hovering nearby.

Copyright © Kim Calvert/2012 Singular Communications, LLC.