You are the one you've been waiting for.

I am an absolute sucker for Valentine's Day.

I love everything about it. The pink and red. The hearts. The flowers. The candy. I walk up and down the aisles of CVS once the calendar turns to February just so I can bask in the doily-adorned, conversation-hearted beauty of it all. I. Love. It. And dare you call it a 'Hallmark Holiday' in my presence you will promptly be on the receiving end of a death glare.

There's no room for pettiness on a holiday such as this one.

Yes, I was born on Valentine's Day. Yes, I am a LOVE baby. And I have always felt lucky to be even slightly associated with a day whose sole purpose is to tell those around us that we love them, no matter what love that form may take. Whether it's The One, a sweetheart, just a friend, completely lusty, tried-and-true or a combination of many feelings: no matter what type it is, it all counts. The romantic, 'bow-chicka-wow-wow' aspect of this day is very important. Sex and lust and love and (for some) babies are very, very important. They are critical parts of this whole romantic puzzle. I have unfortunately never had a serious boyfriend on any Valentine's Day but I get it and I appreciate it and I applaud the whole gushy, vulnerable, love-soaked, 'let's-get-naked' aspect of it all.

I mean, if life is good then love is most definitely awesome.

In practice, I have always taken a very holistic approach to this whole wonderful day ever since I was little. I have my Mom to thank for that. Because I was born on the 14th and my big brother on the 15th (ten years apart) our Valentine's Day celebrations as a family were always more focused on birthdays and just being together. We'd have a special meal and hang out and just celebrate the love we had within our family and for one another. If I had gotten a valentine from that cute boy at school, great! Bonus! But if I hadn't, looking back, it didn't really make that much of a difference. The day was focused on quality time and being there for one another. And to be honest it still pretty much is to this day.

But don't get me wrong. As much as I love the familial love-fest that occurs each February I am not immune from single-girl-syndrome come mid-month. Try as I might to keep my wits about me, I am not completely immune from wanting that big bunch of roses to arrive at my door from that hot guy at Starbucks who seemed to take just a little too long to order his latte so he could be near me. Or to have a nice box of chocolates delivered from that hottie at the gym who stretches near me each morning. Or to get some simple card professing his sweet, sweet love from that guy I always see at Whole Foods in the produce aisle.

You get my drift.

I might be more aware of the holistic value of love-for-all come February 14th but I am still a girl and most girls want to be told they are loved and told often and in the sappiest ways possible. Girls love the grand gesture. And I am, for the record, definitely one of those girls.

But for a girl who has only once in a while received the grand gesture, it wasn't until recently that I realized I had more than just two options come 2/14. (Those two options being 1) wait to be showered with love and treats on Valentine's Day and 2) actually get showered with love and treats on Valentine's Day.) No, in my world there is most definitely a third option. And that option is to shower myself with love and treats on Valentine's Day. Now before you rush to conclusions, this is not me turning into one of those girls who has flowers delivered to herself to make her office-mates or the guy she has her eye on jealous. That girl is lame. That girl lacks self confidence. That girl cares too much about what others think of her. I am not that girl.

No. What I am a proponent of is instead of waiting for someone to notice your awesomeness to choose to celebrate your awesomeness first. If you enjoy sweets, buy your own candy. If you love fresh flowers, pick up your own bouquet. If you look forward to the day when a lover will say kind and thoughtful things to you, sing your own praises once in a while and do not be the least bit shy about it.

Whatever it is that makes you happy, I say do it and do it now. Not just on Valentine's Day but everyday. Extend a loving kindness to yourself always. Life is way more fun when you celebrate who you are and reward yourself for it.

In short, I condone being your own valentine. Sure, it's not the same. It'd be foolish to say that it could ever take the place of the love and attention from another. But still, loving who we are in turn builds a strong foundation for loving another and for them loving us, as well. So treat yourself the way you want to be treated, on Valentine's Day and every day. The singer india.arie said it very well: "If you want a butterfly you've got to be a butterfly, nothing falls out of the sky." If you want love in your life, love yourself first and see what happens. If it gets you closer to a mate, great. If not, at least you enjoyed yourself along the way, right?

X's and O's and big sloppy kisses to all of you.