I love love.

So Valentine's Day, huh?

We all know that I am the most hopeless of all hopeless romantics...does that make me a hopeful romantic?

So many people who are alone...or even people that aren't go on about how this day was created by a greeting card company and how it means nothing and how they don't need a specific day to tell the person they love that they love them.

But I disagree.

Valentine's Day was always a big day in our house. And I really have no idea why. I think, because my parents just love each other so much. We would always have dinner in the dining room. Something nice, and drink sparkling grape juice out of the nice glasses. And have this jell-o and cool whip dessert. We would always get chocolates and one nice gift; one year Jo Dee Messina's cd, another Josh Groban's.

I had forgotten about these dinners until a couple days ago when talking to my manager at work. Some of my warmest memories with my family.

This year was my first Valentine's Day in six (?) years without a significant other. And I was so incredibly okay with it. I love this day. And I love sharing love with my friends. So I went to dinner with a friend and then we saw the Transport Group's production of Almost, Maine by John Cariani. One of my very favorite plays.

I forget just how perfect it is. So well written. And John Cariani was in it!! It is nine different vignettes about people finding or losing love in the fictional township of Almost, Maine. All of this happens on the night the Northern Lights are visible. And it is just so magical. There is the woman who carries her broken heart around in a brown paper bag, there are the two best friends that literally fall in love. There is Hope...who is looking for her place in the world. And Jimmy who so desperately wants to be found. And Rhonda who is "hung up there," but Dave is persistent with her.

I just love love. And I think putting love out into this world never truly hurt anyone.