“Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art… It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.” ~ C.S. Lewis

By Kristen Linton

Valentine’s Day in my circle of friends is often met with much criticism. Couples feel pressure to spend money on things they wouldn’t normally purchase (chocolates, overpriced bouquets of roses, extravagant balloons, and creepy stuffed animals holding hearts with stitched on messages), while single people feel pressure to “be okay” and celebrate their lack-of-significant-other-ness.

I’ve never been a Valentine’s Day fan, almost entirely because I am opposed to its aesthetics. Every year as the season of love approaches I prepare my eyes for the visual attack of offensive color combinations. Red and pink?! Really? In what universe should those two hues be paired together for grown human beings? As the wise André Leon Talley once explained to Vera Wang: “It’s a famine of beauty – a famine of beauty, honey!!” Never is this more apparent than on Valentine’s Day.

But within this famine of beauty and beyond the overpriced gifts, hokey commercials, and frightening color combinations there is something that even I can appreciate and celebrate: love and friendship.

In some Latin American countries Valentine’s Day is celebrated as el Día del amor y la amistad (day of love and friendship). That is something I can get on board with at any time the year (pink and red color combinations aside, whether I am comfortable-in-my-singleness- or deliriously-happily-committed-to-another-for-life). It’s always good to take some time from our busy schedules to appreciate and recognize those whom we love and with whom we share our friendship.

Happy Day of Love and Friendship to all from the Solari team!