Valentine’s Day — Not So Kind For Some
By Terry Rendon, 02.10.05

Society does not smile kindly on singles. As if holidays, weddings, and frankly any social gathering aren’t torture enough for singles. We have a holiday that is heavily commercialized to torture singles. It’s called Valentine’s Day.

Family, media and church often suggest ways to eliminate the disease of singleness. In fact it’s now a big money-making business. This includes everything from online matchmaking services to self-help books with titles such as “Falling in Love for All the Right Reasons: How to Find Your Soul Mate” and “How to Make a Man Fall in Love with You Only.” As if it were as simple as they make it seem!

I would like to write a self-help book titled “Yes, I’m Single and It’s OK.” The book would have suggestions on how to stay single. It would contain good responses to give relatives when they ask if your dating someone. The book would have a list of places I like to call single-friendly, and bars and clubs would not make the list. The book would profile successful single people throughout history. The profiles will mostly consist of religious people like Buddhist monks and Apostle Paul who wrote that is better for a man not to marry.

Singleness can be full of difficult times with all the societal pressures on singles. For those who are single on the Valentine’s Day, I would like to offer you hope and encouragement. There are some advantages for singles.

Here are some reasons to celebrate life without a boyfriend or girlfriend:

*More time for God. Corinthians 7:32 states, “I would like you
to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs–how he can please the Lord.”

*You can be more productive. You have enough time to excel in work or school.

*More time to yourself. Having more time to yourself allows time for self-improvement.

*More time for friends. Being single allows you to develop multiple friendships.

*Independence. You can read a book, go to a party, and travel without any outside influence.

*Financial Freedom. You get to keep your whole paycheck and buy as you wish.

As a single I often tend to focus on the negatives of being single, but I should remind myself, it’s not so bad. We are all in different places and situations in our lives. Making the most of your current situation is crucial to having a happy life.