Valentine's Day
However you may feel about this day—no matter if you cherish it, tolerate it, or roll your eyes at the spectacle—love, in its many forms, remains at the heart of the human experience.
Today can simply be viewed as a reminder that love exists in the quiet moments, whether it’s alone or with someone; in kindness, in connection, and in the ways we show up for ourselves and others.
So, wherever you are in your journey, here’s a little warmth, light, and appreciation—because you are valued, you are amazingly beautiful, deeply vast and limitless as the ocean— and that, above all else, is worth celebrating.
“To Love Oneself is the Beginning of a Lifelong Romance.”
Oscar Wilde used that line in his 1895 play An Ideal Husband, there is still a lot of confusion on which character actually says this line and in which scene it appears. So, after much research and reading, the popular opinion is this, a playful but insightful exchange among friends:
Lord Goring, Act II
“Life is never fair, Robert. And perhaps it is a good thing for most of us that is is not.”
Mabel Chiltern, Act II
“Musical people are so absurdly unreasonable. They always want one to be perfectly dumb a the very moment when one is longing to be absolutely deaf.”
Sir Robert Chiltern, Act II
“All sins, except a sin against itself, Love should forgive. All lives, save loveless lives, true Love should pardon.”
Lord Goring, Act III
“Fashion is what one wears oneself. What is unfashionable is what other people wear.”
Lord Goring, Act III
“The only possible society is oneself.”
Lord Goring, Act III
“To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.”
Lord Goring, Act III
“However, it is always nice to be expected, and not to arrive.”
*the conversations continues for a little bit, but you get the jest.
In this exchange, Wilde is emphasizing the importance of self-compassion and self-care as the cornerstone of all healthy relationships, with ourselves and others.
The quote suggests that the most enduring and meaningful relationship one can have is with oneself, and that true love begins when you first recognize your own worth.
By advocating for self-love, Wilde is conveying the idea that only when we learn to care for ourselves, without relying on external validation, can we fully embrace love in its most genuine, raw and authentic form. It’s a reminder that self-acceptance is not just a practice, but a lifelong romance with our own being.
As we continue on our journey, let us carry with us the quiet strength that comes from truly knowing our worth. Not just as a measure of others’ expectations, but as a reflection of our own inherent value.
In truly embracing who we are, independent of the world around us, we cultivate a resilience that will carry us through both joy and challenge. For when we love ourselves, authentically and without apology or limits, we tap into a deeper strength, a more fulfilling connection to all that life has to offer.