The L Word... No, Not the TV Show!

I've been given some pretty difficult assignments in my time, but one stands out above and beyond the rest. It was Valentine's Day and my class was scheduled to have an in-class essay on Joyce's Ulysses. Much to my shock the teacher announced that instead of an essay he was giving us a surprise assignment which was going to be much more difficult. I didn't know how that could be possible, since the book was my literary equivalent to kryptonite. Our new task was to compose over the next forty five minutes a love letter.... without using the word love. If you feel up to it, give this task a try. It's so hard. I'm trying to think of some ways to say "I love you," without actually doing so... Here's what I've come up with.

• You're the Squirtle to my Charmander.
  
• If I saw a penny on the ground I'd pretend not to notice it so you would pick it up and have good luck.
  
• You're so sweet it could give a person diabetes. Or a cavity. 
  
• I'd let you cut me in line for the bathroom, even if my bladder was about to explode.
  

Obviously some more brainstorming is definitely in order! Have you got any ideas?

The word love is majorly overused. I'm definitely guilty of throwing around the words love and hate with reckless abandon. I love puppies. I'd love to go to yoga. I love this song. It's gotten to the point that love is just another four letter word, used so frequently that it's lost its meaning and resonance. Every time I hang up the phone with my mom I throw in a "Love you, bye." I might as well use a four letter curse word, because they too are used so often that they have lost some of their umph as well. And then in the moment when my heart feels so full that it might burst and I desperately want to express how much I love someone, there are no words. Because I've said love so many times before and there's nothing in the dictionary powerful enough to communicate what I'm so strongly feeling. It's like a modern day boy who cried wolf, but with a word and feeling.

Sometimes kids really do know best.

I think part of why the word love is said so much is because no one really knows what it means. Can love even be defined? It's so abstract and different for each person, plus the intensity and strength of all emotions can vary. When I was a kid my grandfather used to cut out and send me those "Love Is" comics.

Between them and Disney movies, it's no wonder that my idea of love is so screwy. Having divorced parents probably doesn't do me any favors either. 

Even though the Hallmark-hating cynic in me wants to loathe Valentine's Day, I can't help but get excited. I remember in grade school we'd decorate shoeboxes and leave them on our desks to grow stuffed with valentines. And then as soon as you got home you'd empty it out, separating the cute valentines and ones from your best friends from all the others. Were you a maker of homemade valentines or did you buy the ones from the store? While I don't have mailbox coated in construction paper cutouts and glitter, I do have a valentine. ME. Today I've just been chilling, watching romantic movies and wearing my new V-day dress. My mom got it for my younger sister but she didn't want it, so now it's mine. Sort of like hand me downs but in reverse... Not that I'm complaining!

How could you not feel like a princess while wearing a dress that's so pretty?

What are your favorite romantic movies? Mine are...

• Moulin Rouge
  
• Romeo & Juliet (both the Baz Luhrmann and Zefferelli versions... I remember watching the older one is school and that everyone went ballistic when Romeo's ass was on the screen. It was an all girl's school, so everyone was a bit desperate. Even though I know what's going to happen, I always get so anxious and am on the edge of my seat hoping that maybe this time things will turn out differently, AKA a slightly lower number of dead bodies as the film draws to a close.
  
• Atonement
  
• Mr. And Mrs. Smith (Marriage. Machine guns. Need I say more?)
  
• Harold and Maude 

Whatever love means to you, I hope your Valentine's Day is full of it.