Part 25 (1/2)

And now I forget.

Given that the history of the holiday is so sketchy, I feel free to write on a clean slate. In other words, I can make it up, too.

And if you ask me, Valentine's Day is really about love. Not only romantic love, but also just plain love. And if you're not married or seeing someone, you can still have love in your life.

Observe.

In my case, I have tons of love in my life. I love my kid, my family, and my friends. I love the people I work with. I love my readers. I love my dogs, cats, and pony. I love spaghetti. I love opera. I love books. I love Brad Pitt in Legends of the Fall. Legends of the Fall.

In short, I love.

If I were going to improve on that maxim of Descartes, ”I think, therefore I am,” I'd say, ”I love, therefore I am.” Or instead of Pope's saying, ”To err is human,” I'd go with, ”To love is human.” Plus I agree completely with that great philosopher James Taylor, who tells us to ”shower the people you love with love.”

So I propose that, on Valentine's Day, we celebrate love. Shower the people you love with love. Don't take each other for granted. Recognize that we grow more valuable to each other as time pa.s.ses, not less. Raise a gla.s.s to someone you love, in celebration of an emotion that powers our best intentions, leads to our greatest happiness, and gives us the stories of the world's greatest operas, movies, and novels. our greatest happiness, and gives us the stories of the world's greatest operas, movies, and novels.

In addition to Gossip Girl Gossip Girl.

Now, there may be some of you reading this who have no one. Maybe you've lost someone, or they're far away, and you're left hiding in your house or apartment, waiting for Valentine's Day to pa.s.s.

Here's my advice to you: Find the love in your life, because it's all around you. And if you can't find it, make it yourself.

Make love.

And by that, I don't mean match.com.

I mean, adopt a dog and love it. Buy it a pretty collar and walk it around the block. A cat works, too. Cats like pretty collars, even though they're too proud to say so. Or get a fish. There's no shame in love you can buy, even if it has scales. I don't think goldfish get enough credit. Not everybody can look good in orange.

Or read a book that everyone says is great. You'll find a story you love, and maybe an author. Or if you don't like to read, go see Legends of the Fall. Legends of the Fall. You'll love Brad Pitt, whether you're a man or a woman. You'll love Brad Pitt, whether you're a man or a woman.

And if none of that appeals to you, volunteer at a shelter or a hospital. Cook a meal for the parents at Ronald McDonald House, like a friend of mine did.

Because the thing about love is that we can't control whether we get it, but we can control whether we give it.

And each feels as good as the other.