It’s Friday, February 12, and in case you’ve been living on Mars, Valentine’s Day is in two days. Once again (or perhaps for the first time in a while), you don’t have a special someone to share the occasion with. Maybe you don’t even have a date. (A girlfriend of mine describes this situation as being “rotic”—E.g., romantic without the “man.”)

If this describes you,  you’re probably miserably sulking in a corner somewhere, just trying to endure until next Monday (imagine looking forward to a Monday!) when the whole deal will be over and romance can be ignored until next February.

Shame on you! You’ve surrendered your pride and your self-esteem to Hallmark. Just because you aren’t currently in some sort of relationship, you aren’t a second-class person. Dump the pity party. Stop feeling sorry for yourself. Being unattached on Valentine’s Day has some advantages.

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