Lisa Anderson | Director of Young Adults

Media outlets love to talk to me around Valentine’s Day. They usually ask me about being single in a sea of pink hearts, red roses, mushy sentiments and PDA. They generally assume that I hate VDay — that I find it depressing, alienating and discriminating. And that I’m jealous of everyone around me who has a plus-one.

Anyone who knows me knows I really like February 14. Maybe it goes back to grade school and the anticipation of those hand-decorated classroom card receptacles. Maybe it’s because I like chocolate (any day of the year, yo) and flowers (circus roses over red). I talk about romance with reporters, but more importantly, about how having or not having a significant other isn’t the biggest thing about me. How marriage is a good thing, but so is singleness. How God’s love is the only sure thing any of us can count on.

I’ll celebrate next week by writing cards, reaching out, and enfolding friends who may be struggling with discouragement about their relationship status. I’ll party with the ones who are content. I’ll smile (and maybe offer a suggestion) when my guy friends freak out at having to find something for their wives at the eleventh hour.

At Boundless, we’ll have all the VDay things. Heads-up on Bry’s article (out tomorrow) about super-fab double dates, a roundtable on our favorite rom-coms, a look at the history of St. Valentine and the holiday that bears his name, and a few insights on growing in love for others whether you like them romantically or not.