Happy Valentine’s Day! Sometimes it just sucks to see or hear those words, doesn’t it? For those of us who aren’t married or in a relationship, they can feel like salt in the already painful wound of loneliness. I guess thats why someone came up with the all-too-appropriate alternate name for today, “Single Awareness Day.” Cynical, but accurate.
Like most things, I think it is better to get this junk out into the light and talk about it rather than letting it lurk around in our hearts and eat away at us, which is why I have written some things on loneliness and singleness in the past. This past week I had a few additional thoughts in light of today’s holiday…..
First, a minor one. The nature of singleness often makes you feel like you are in the minority when in fact you are not. There are just as many people (or more) who are not in a relationship as there are who are in one. I know that doesn’t feel good like a bowl of ice cream or whatever your comfort mechanism is, but it does put things into perspective a bit.
Second, a crazy, non-intuitive idea. The fact that you are not in the same place as a lot of people around you may be actually be a good thing. It may be a sign that you are on the path to something great. Anytime a majority of people are doing something, it usually means that the thing is pretty good. Not great, but pretty good. People simply aren’t willing to put in the effort or endure the difficulty that it takes to get to greatness.
Having an exceptional marriage does not come easy. It takes a lot of patience, trust, unselfishness, and work. But ask anyone who has an exceptional marriage if it is worth it, and of course the answer will be yes. The sweetness of a committed, loving, happy marriage is one of the greatest gifts God has given us on this planet. Likewise, the path of finding the person that you want to marry or that God has planned for you often does not come easy. It takes a lot of patience, trust, unselfishness, and sometimes a lot of work. But in the end it is so worth it. Exceptional always is.
So be patient. Trust that God is in control and that he has the best in store for you. Don’t be selfish and grab anything (or everything) that comes along. Be diligent in doing whatever work you need to be doing, both on yourself and on other things that are important in life.
And in the meantime, eat lots of ice cream! Because it is good for whatever ails you!
