The Greatest Love Of All

It all started Tuesday morning when my friend Zack posted this caption on Instagram:

Listen to the Greatest Love Of All as many times as you need to today because Valentine's Day is fake and you're the embodiment of love already

Accompanied by a fabulously dreamy/hazy snap of Whitney herself. Earlier, I had forgotten it was Valentine's Day, and that I should start addressing people in the house (you know, like my husband, maybe) with the proper greeting. Happy Valentine's Day! I sing-say at various points of the day.

V-Day is a stupid consumer holiday, and I LOVE it. Hearts are always cute, it's the only acceptable time to wear red (imo), and I fully embrace the consumption it encourages. Specifically, that of SWEETS. You know: chocolates, wine, sugar cookies (frosted, or no, they're going in my belly!), cheesy gifts and remarks to and from loved ones.

What's not to enjoy? She thinks, the ring on her finger glinting in the sunlight of her family-in-law's well-lit living room. She looks up across the room at her husband, and thinks fondly of their nearly 7 years together. 

LOL, you get the idea. It's certainly a lovely privilege to have someone to spend this dumb day with, but believe you me: any national holiday that gives me an excuse to eat excessive amounts of sweets is a great holiday, significant other or no.

Um, back to my friend's Instagram caption? So, I read it while having a casual lil' date with my mom, sipping coffee and eating a heart-shaped sugar cookie. I mentioned the Whitney Houston part of the caption to her (my mother) and she replied: Maria, I have to go to the bathroom. But also, you left a Whitney Houston tape here years ago and I still have it. Let's play it!

Play it we did. It just so happened to be the album with The Greatest Love Of All on it. The cover art is glorious; Whitney looks like an absolute queen.

This tape set the tone for my day. The rediscovery of my tape was later followed by a pleasant dinner at our favorite Indian restaurant, where I was served a friggin' goblet of wine (not that anyone's complaining). After that, we went home to watch the last two episodes of Twin Peaks (yaaaasss), in the middle of which we enjoyed the announcement of an engagement! All in all, a pretty chill yet super romantic (and creepy Twin Peaks-y) Valentine's Day.

How was yours?