Feeling SAD Is The Best Thing We Should Do This February

By: Lou Maningas Cabalona

 

February. Coined as the Love Month, it has, over the recent years, seen a push back from happily unattached folks claiming another day of the month, the day after Valentine’s, as Single Awareness Day.

February 15th declares to the world that there is nothing wrong with being single and as part of the growing tradition and customs of this humorous holiday, people have celebrated it by exchanging presents with single friends or ordering flowers for themselves or like other occasions, throwing a party – with other singles only, even vacationing to Brazil where Valentines is celebrated in June!

Alternatively, the website dedicated to the holiday, SingleAwareness. com (yes, there is one), provides other options that could make the Valentine’s Day special for others – perhaps even a stranger. One idea is to send yourself roses at work with a blank card and on the way home offer a single rose to people that you pass who look like they could use some cheering up. Another suggestion if you have the evening free, is to call a local hospital or nursing home to find out if there’s a patient who doesn’t have family visiting frequently and drop in to wish them a Happy Valentine’s Day complete with flowers or a goodie basket.

Finally, for those who would prefer to spend time with, and on themselves, it could be an occasion to treat yourself to a massage at the spa, or schedule a hair and nail appointment at your favorite salon.

Single Awareness Day despite its acronym being SAD is starting to sound so fulfilling, I feel I want to celebrate my February that way too!

And perhaps, we all should!

Regardless of whether we are in a relationship or not, wouldn’t the “Love Month” be so much more meaningful if we showed love to many others through thoughtful and caring acts – like giving an auntie who lives alone a call to greet her Happy Valentines, asking a co-worker who you haven’t really connected with to lunch at the cafeteria or volunteering in a soup kitchen or a hospice once a week this month.

Most of all, do not forget to use this time to reflect on how to love yourself more. Yes, a new hairdo with a matching fresh manicure and pedicure is one sure way to feel loved and pampered but it is also a good time to think about what to do – or stop doing — to show yourself more love. Maybe it’s committing to spend 1 hour a day on something you really want to do — learning a skill like painting or starting a blog — but have been putting off because you have no time. Maybe it’s deciding to sleep more hours or carve out time to walk around the neighborhood daily. Maybe it’s cutting out what is not making you better like the hours you spend scrolling online or watching TV. And, maybe, it’s deciding to be less critical of yourself, making a conscious effort to appreciate what you are able to accomplish today even if there’s still two hundred to-do’s in your task list.

Happy Valentine’s to you! Single or not, may you be showered with much love and have many opportunities to give some back this February!

Things I Love the Most #1 – My Little Family and our latest picture together this Month

Things I Love the Most #2 – Our Bigger Family in the USA – pictured are my In Laws – Genia and Orlando Cabalona with the grandkids, Aident (2), Reign (9 mos) and EJ (5) at Mima Genia’s Birthday celebration last January 13, 2019 at Maggiano’s

Things I Love the Most #3 – Friends who are Family – pictured are Grandma Ves Dia holding Reign (bottom right) celebrating her birthday with (clockwise from top left) son Arlou and Daughter Angel, Jelene Ledesma with Addie and John Kniker with Eloise last Jan 27, 2019 at Chicken Ati-Atihan. (Disclaimer: Not all friends I consider family are in this picture)

Things I Love the Most #4 – Friends who party with us! – Our band, SamaSama Project with some of our “All State” friends – Emily Lopez, John Kniker (guitar), Giga Yanong (sax), EJ Luna (bass), Toni Wunsch, Lou Ella Rose (vox) , Celeste Valenzuela, Andy Wunsch , Agnes Cook, Baron Cabalona (drums) at the Penny Road Pub, February 2, 2019

Things I Love the Most #4 the Most – More friends who party with us – (bottom row) Jeff and Emily Tandoc, Dino and Melody Dizon and Janina Victorio partying with SamaSama Project at Penny Road Pub, February 2, 2019

Things I Love the Most #5 – Kiddie Parties! – Birthday Celebrants are two year-old twins, Levi and Griselda with parents Levi and Christy Aliposa, Baron Cabalona with Reign and Giau Truong with Nathan last February 9, 2019 at Windy City Fieldhouse

Things I Love the Most #6 – The community coming together – At Cultural Officer of the Philippine Consulate General Anna Liza Alcantara’s Farewell party held last January 26, 2019 at Kusina De Manila. Bottom Left photo – Anna Liza (3rd from left) with FYLPRO Alumni – Baron and Louella Cabalona (Batch ’18 and ’12) their son, Reign and Dr. Melissa Palma (Batch ’18)