Many people have a strong opinion of Valentine’s Day. It’s either the worst holiday ever invented by Hallmark or it’s the day where you expect nothing less from your mate but chocolate, flowers and lots of sex. Maybe a good bottle of wine and a gourmet meal if you remembered to make a dinner reservation. It seems that there is a great divide, and an expectation that each of us takes a side for Valentine’s Day.

Singles vs. couples. Either you hate it or you love and embrace it. Like with Congress, there is no compromise, no middle of the road where you let the day pass however it passes, letting people enjoy whatever they enjoy. Which is why V-Day brings with it an anxiety like no other holiday. One with lots of snarky blog posts or articles with tips on what to get your sweetheart or how to seduce him with a delicious batch of brownies.

Either you want your partner to be as excited about V-Day as you are and really put effort into making the day special, or you will silently curse all the couples around you for getting their stupid flowers delivered to the office. Arrghh, is there a holiday filled with more pressure? There is a certain charge to V-Day because it’s all about showing romantic love. If you’re single, you might think about what you don’t have in your life.

Let’s call a truce before we’re all stressed out over nothing. V-Day is a good day to remember what we do have. We all have love in our lives, romantic or not. Shouldn’t that be the point of celebrating? Whether you’re with a partner or not, the day can still be about connection, gratitude, and the people who matter. Sometimes the best response is not more irony, but a little more appreciation. That seems like a much better use of the day anyway.