"Teen Love" by Chandrawattie Kadar

So often I hear teenagers saying, "I love you" to their boyfriends and girlfriends, but what does "I love you" really mean? I am not saying their love isn't true. I am saying that they might misguide themselves. Love is one word with a million meanings. I, for one, won't try to define love because--honestly--I can't. Valentine's Day means appreciating the ones you love more with each day that progresses. Before I get more into my story about Valentine's Day, I asked some teens what V-Day meant to them, and this is what they had to say...

"What does Valentine's Day mean to you?"

"Celebrating the ones in your life." - Neteh

"Being with the person you love." - Nakia

"Valentine's Day means nothing to me because what I can do on February 14th, I can do all 364 other days for my girlfriend and other loved ones." - Jake

"Valentine's Day is a day for lovers." - Vic

"A day when you show all your love for that special someone." - Lissette

That's just what some teens had to say. Imagine what all the others might have said. I am not shocked that the few teens I asked gave responses that were very similar to each other.

For adults, Valentine's Day has a whole new meaning. For one adult and teacher I know, Valentine's Day means spending his 12th anniversary with his wife. Adults' meanings of Valentine's Day is often stronger than teens'. I guess that is the result of adults being wiser. Almost half of the teens I know do not like Valentine's Day because they are single or just, straight-up hate the day. I can understand that Valentine's Day can be hurtful to some because of the loved ones they have lost. However, I find it very stupid to dislike Valentine's Day because you don't have a boyfriend or girlfriend. Valentine's Day is about being with the ones you love--it doesn't have to be a romantic relationship. It could be your family, your friends. Only one thing bothers me about Valentine's Day: Why do people only reach out to their loved ones on February 14th? I guess that's another one of my unanswered questions. Valentine's Day is also known as the day of love. Love has so many meanings, but for me, love is an illusion waiting to happen.

A Few Reasons Why Many Teenagers Hate Valentine's Day...

Valentine's Day can be especially sad for a teen if he or she has a crush on someone and that person is with someone else. A very close friend of mine told me that it hurts to know the one you love loves someone else. I am no love-expert, but here is a thought: if you love or like someone, don't wait forever, just tell him or her, and maybe in return they will feel the same way about you. Sometimes in life you have to take the risk and be willing to take a fall with the thought that the one you love will be waiting to catch you before you hit the ground. No couple is perfect--trust me on that. Couples are going to argue, fight and hardly agree on anything, but that's one more reason why they are right for each other. Like my Nana would say, the couple that fights the most is the one that is the most in love. Fighting shows that they care enough to notice when they have different opinion and traits. They say that when you stop fighting, you stop caring, which I think is true. You can't expect to meet the right person as soon as you start dating. You have to have some heartbreak before you find the right guy or girl. I asked many of the teen girls that I know how they feel about finding love at age 15. One of them said, "When you're 15 and a guy say I love you, just say whatever and walk away. That's just like them saying bullsh**. They are both eight letters."
DON'T EVER LET SOMEONE BECOME YOUR EVERYTHING BECAUSE WHEN THEY ARE GONE, YOU HAVE NOTHING LEFT!