Valentine's Day 2007

It's Valentine's Day 2007.  I'm single, childless, over 20, under 60 and once again alone on Valentine's Day.

But that's okay. You know why?  Because, four years ago today, Valentine's Day took on a fabulous new meaning.  Cara was born four years ago on Valentine's Day.

Cara's the daughter of my good friend Lucy.  And since we live next door to each other, Cara's my surrogate daughter.  After Cara was born, Valentine's Day was no longer the day that I watched nauseating couples snuggle closer on the subway.  No longer the day I inhaled the suffocating fragrance of hundreds of flowers, none of the them for me.  No longer the day I heard the extravagant dinner plans of couples who had to take out a second mortgage to eat at Le Cirque.  No sir.

Valentine's Day became a day I looked forward to.

A day I could celebrate away from all the plastic red roses, stale chocolates and gaudy engagement rings.  It's my beloved Cara's birthday and I get to buy presents, and a card, and see her positively twinkle the minute she sees me.  How's that for love?  You can keep your sticky chocolates.

Except this year, Cara has strep throat and she's as contagious as the plague. God knows I love her to death, but strep?  I'll just have to see her when she's better.  So for me, in 2007...it's just Valentine's Day.

Happy Valentine's Day.