Candy stores and card shops are filled today with procrastinators fervently seeking the right message — one that captures the exact, idiosyncratic nature of their bond. They sort through missives so sweet as to be appropriate only for the married-or-nearly-so and cards that cynically suggest the sender is halfway out the door in a vain search for middle ground. Eventually, many will sigh with relief when they find that too-rare valentine devoid of verbiage.
Best wishes and good luck to all on this special day dedicated to the purpose of defining our romantic relationships. I’ve been a tad critical of V Day in the past. But it may be healthy, in this ambivalent era, to have an external impetus to consider how, exactly, we feel about those with whom we laugh, argue, kiss, cook, cuddle and romp.