Back in college, I learned for the first time that Valentine’s Day was AKA Singles’ Awareness Day. I’d never thought about it that way before then. I’d always been content in seeing Valentine’s Day as just another holiday, but not as important as other holidays. To me, it was a day to show some appreciation and love for people in my life. But the more people around me griped about their loneliness, the more I was influenced to be sad about my lack of a relationship status.

As the years went on, the more sad I became. To the point that it wasn’t just on Valentine’s Day that I’d be sad, but about every time I thought about the fact that I remained single. I started getting bitter towards people who asked me when I was going to find someone, even knowing they were just concerned for me.

But a couple of years ago, I decided that I was so over getting depressed about Valentine’s Day. I was inspired by several single women who’d blogged about their singleness and how it really wasn’t the end of the world. They are so spot on right!

There’s so much more to life than one’s relationship status. There’s so much more to a person’s identity than whether they are single, married, or it’s complicated. And there are plenty of people other than a significant other to tell that you love them. I decided to focus on the people I do have in my life who care about me. And to focus on everything I love about life rather than dwell on the things I don’t have.

Some people might make it seem like there’s something wrong with me for not finding someone yet, even though I’m already approaching thirty, but who the hell cares about them? There will always be those select special few who will try to make me feel inferior because of my singleness. But they don’t matter.

So I made it a point to start my own tradition of naming one thing that I love everyday leading up to Valentine’s Day. One thing that makes me love life. One person who shows they care about me. And you know, it’s not so bad being single when I realize how many things and people there are who make life something to treasure and celebrate.

This year, I’ve been creating my own Valentine’s Day cards to send via snail mail to people I love. I kind of feel like I just want to show my appreciation for people in the only way I know how—my own creativity. Personally, I feel that gifts should come from the heart. If I were to have a significant other, I wouldn’t want him showering me with expensive gifts. No diamonds or gold earrings for me. I think it would be the best gift if he gave me something to show he’d been listening to my likes and dislikes. Like cat-related things or something that incorporates blue, my favorite color. Or a book I said I really wanted to read. Or movie tickets to a movie I really wanted to watch but that I knew he wasn’t really into. Or even if he wasn’t a good cook but tried to make something for me, I’d think that was the sweetest thing.

But I digress. (I’m still not quite immune to my singleness, but taking my mind off of it is the whole point of this thing).

I made my own cards for people because that’s my way of pouring love into the thing that I created for them. Whether it be food, a story/poem I wrote, or a greeting card, it’s a reflection of my love. Here are a few cards I made.

So these are nowhere as nice looking as store-bought cards, but I designed each one with love.