Valentine’s Day can be a stressful time. For some, what happens on this day says a lot about their social status. Being alone on Valentine’s Day — without flowers, a card, or a date! — is a disaster. Expectations run so high that some couples would split up as a result of what goes unsaid, or said.
Dr. Ricardi Adnan, a University of Indonesia sociologist, said: “Valentine’s Day is a piece of western culture that we have adopted in Indonesia. It’s good to celebrate a day of love, but all these must-have special occasions, cards, and flowers can put undue pressure on the relationship. This is even more so for singles who are socially conditioned to feel neglected. Valentine’s Day and its outward expressions of love should be in our everyday life, especially with our closest ones. Valentine’s Day should be a stress-free celebration.”
So, what are we to do on this day?
To ward off Valentine’s Day stresses, we should make it a day to celebrate love in general — with our family, our friends, our neighbors.
Here are some ideas.
- Friends with benefits. Nope, this is not what you’re thinking. In Indonesia, this can mean going dutch. So go out with close friends, even those from the opposite sex. Indulge in your favorite food … at an affordable price and in good company.
- Date something new. Especially if you’re single now since you just broke up. Shake off the grief and frustrations by doing the new stuff that you’ve always wanted to try out. Have you always wanted to carve your body? Learn belly dancing … or pole dancing! You can go to Wijaya Timur, Kemang, Kelapa Gading, Barito or Pondok Indah with like-minded friends. Do you want to get your heart racing? Soar like an eagle with a paragliding instructor over the hills of Puncak. Fancy a more sensuous experience? Join a cooking class and discover your hidden culinary talents.
- Spread your love around. You can visit elderly homes and bring a smile to the faces of those who don’t get frequent family visits, or you can share some laughs with orphans. Bring flowers, gifts, or just yourself, and share your happiness with others.
- Swipe it. Indonesians have definitely embraced the digital era. Download a meet-and-connect app and swipe your prospects through within seconds. Take the Paktor app for example. It connects to Facebook and only allows individuals with more than 50 Facebook friends to register, making it somewhat more trustworthy. There are dozens of other similar apps out there, and 40 million smartphone users in Indonesia afford you to find friends this Valentine’s Day. All it takes is one right swipe.
This year’s Valentine’s Day might turn out to be the most rewarding day of your life. Do you have better ideas? We are all ears here. No matter what, enjoy your Valentine’s Day.
Meilinawaty Kalyana is a communications specialist
The post Redefining Love to Not Be Alone on Valentine’s Day appeared first on The Jakarta Globe.
