Loved Ones Appreciation Day (Revisited) · 5:17pm Feb 14th, 2017
art by Suramii
Today is the day we celebrate our relationships, particularly the love many of us are blessed to share with a spouse or significant other. Cherishing those we love, and showing our affection, is vital in any relationship. And in the days that can seem dark or foreboding (particularly for those only recently allowed to fully express their love), it is all the more important that we make the time to put aside our worries and stresses and to indulge in each other.
For many, this is a day of love and romance. For some, it is less about candlelit dinners or snuggling than it is about the new Valentine's Day themed trappings of a favorite online game. And for some, it's an excuse to buy an excess of chocolate. Sadly, others see little more than all the commercialization that comes with a significant holiday.
(I have things planned with loved ones this evening, but I'll admit, I spent the first part of the morning finally unlocking the Valentine's Day special "Anaconda" dance emote in The Secret World. 
)
But last year, I offered up a suggestion for Valentines Day for everyone: let this be Loved Ones Appreciation Day. Today, I offer that up again. And rather than just rephrasing the same thing I said last year, I'm going to repost the blog in it's entirety below:
"I take it you liked the chocolate?"
art by NCMares
For those of us with beloved significant others, Valentine's Day is a day to embrace romance.
But not all of us are so blessed. And amongst those less fortunate, many have allowed this day to become a depressing affair, a reminder of what they don't have. "Singles Awareness Day", I have heard it called. Others have focused on the obnoxious commercialism of the holiday.
But while we don't all have romantic partners, we do all have family and/or friends whom we can share this day with. (I can say this with confidence, since if you are reading this blog, the chances are very good that you are a brony. And that means you have friends.) So instead, I suggest that we should all spend Valentine's Day remembering who we do have, and to make this day a celebration of those we love and care about.
Loved Ones Appreciation Day
Let yours know how much you care about them, and how thankful you are for being there for you... and with you.
And to all my friends and fans in this incredible fandom, thank you so very much. You mean more to me than you can possibly know.
Thank you
Hit the nail on the head. Tonight I'm replaying the Borderlands 2 Valentine's Day DLC. With friends if they can make it. If not then I'll just run it solo again.
Always appreciate to hear your thoughts on these things. Thank you
I'm surprised that it's not as bad this year, or last year :3 I'm not really questioning it, because it feels great not to worry my head off [as much as I always seem to]
You always make everything so optimistic. Thanks for that~
Well... It never really had the same meaning to me. Being my birthday and all. Though I'd wouldn't begrudge the sentiment of showing love to friends and family. Sometimes doing something a little extra for someone can be a rather uplifting experience from the daily bump and grind of life.
I hope you and everyone else is having a very enjoyable Valentine's Day.
I would be a scrooge of the romantic part, but I have celebrated the day as Loved Ones Appreciation day as tradition now. Cards, some chocolate candy and appreciating family and friends.
Happy valentines day Kkat
While I think we should all take a leaf from Cheerilee and Mac's book and be okay with having a lovely day regardless, I'm happy to hear you've found others to spend it with.
Me... I'll be spending playing Resident Evil 7. And being depressed
Because this game is perhaps the most heart wrenching games of 2017. And apparently zombie aren't supposed to have me git gud at chainsaw mayhem, they're supposed to make me cry!
I highly recommend it
Have a great day, and thank you!
Well said!
"The Secret World"?
*one google search later*
Huh. That looks kinda neat. I'll have to look into that.
Unfortunately, the two people I was most hoping to spend the day with got bogged down by work and university. (Long distance relationships is hard
). Settled some good old fashioned World of Warcraft until they got home, then all the love was shared (and constant bothering of the one who got me hooked on Fallout, b/c he always knows how to fix my massive list of mods). Hope your day was an incredibly awesome one!! /)^3^(\
I wish I could share your enthusiasm. A person I loved dearly who I had started dating broke up with me very close to Valentines Day, telling me she loved her other girlfriends more than me. And that has messed me up and stuck with me ever since. Whenever Valentines Day gets near and I see all of the posts and paraphernalia it just reminds me of that.
I wish I saw this on the day of valentines this was extremely encouraging especially for someone who is, at times, part of the "singles awareness" group. But what you said is true we should and need to remember what and who we have in our lives.
4424352 I feel ya
I haven't had a similar experience but a couple years ago my parents announced they were going to be getting a divorce after 20 some years (basically my entire life) and only a few days before my birthday. That had damaged my look on love and marriage but in the years since that happened things got better and I have been able to move on. Like I said I don't know entirely what you are going through but I can relate by what I have experienced.
I believe you will get there, may not seem like it now but you will. I hoped this helped.
Well I hope you had an amazing Appreciation and V day Kkat. And I hoped your fans had a amazing day to. Unfortunately I screwed up my Valentines day with my BF and I'm being like LittlePip and beating myself up on the inside about it but he forgave me I just hope I can forgive myself. Anyways enough about me, your more important so again I hope you have an amazing Appreciation and V day Kkat and fans.