I don't think I've ever had a bad Valentine's Day, I mean...

Hear the lighthearted yet revealing words of Prince Royce: “I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad Valentine’s Day, I mean… c’mon, y’all know I never get a bad Valentine. Nah. Um, no, I’ve never really had—I don’t have a bad Valentine’s Day. I never really think…it doesn’t come up to my mind.” Though spoken with humor and casualness, these words carry within them an ancient truth: that joy is not only found in what we receive, but in the way we perceive. To Prince Royce, the very idea of a “bad” Valentine’s Day does not even arise in his mind. His perspective transforms every celebration of love into something free of bitterness, untouched by disappointment.

The ancients, too, spoke of this power of perception. The Stoic philosopher Epictetus taught that events themselves are not what trouble us—it is our judgments about them. If a day brings little, yet we call it abundant, we are rich. If a day brings much, yet we call it poor, we are impoverished. Prince Royce, by refusing to entertain the thought of a bad Valentine’s Day, shows the secret of shaping reality with the mind: he chooses joy, and therefore he has joy.

Consider the story of St. Valentine himself, whose life gave birth to the day that bears his name. Though he lived in a time of persecution, though he faced imprisonment and death, legend tells us he continued to bless the unions of lovers, to speak of devotion, to live in hope. By all worldly measures, his days could have been called tragic—but his faith transformed them into acts of eternal love. In the same spirit, Prince Royce’s laughter reminds us that the day is not defined by circumstance, but by the heart’s decision to see it as good.

The origin of these words lies in the singer’s life as one deeply embraced by love, admiration, and connection with his fans. But it also reveals something larger: those who live surrounded by music, art, and affection understand that the essence of celebration is not measured in gifts or events, but in the presence of love itself. To Royce, Valentine’s Day is not a test of success or failure; it is simply another day to live in love. And where love exists, the possibility of “bad” vanishes from the imagination.

This teaching carries power for us all. How often do people burden Valentine’s Day with expectations—grand gestures, perfect gifts, flawless romance? And when the world falls short, disappointment poisons the day. But Royce reveals another way: let go of the thought of failure, let go of the idea that love must prove itself on a single day. When the heart is free, no Valentine’s Day can be bad. For love does not dwell in the calendar—it dwells in the spirit.

The lesson, then, is clear: cultivate a mind that refuses to count days as good or bad, but instead sees each as an opportunity to love. Refuse to let expectation create sorrow. If you are alone, practice self-love and gratitude. If you are with another, treasure their presence without demanding perfection. If you are among friends or family, let your love extend to them. In this way, every Valentine’s Day, every day at all, may be filled with quiet joy.

Practical steps follow: practice gratitude daily so that holidays do not hold power over your mood. When Valentine’s Day comes, make it about giving love rather than receiving it. Share kindness with friends, with strangers, with yourself. Laugh, as Prince Royce does, at the very idea of a “bad” Valentine’s Day. For when you refuse to plant the seed of bitterness, no harvest of bitterness can grow.

Thus the words of Prince Royce stand as a gentle but profound wisdom: a bad Valentine’s Day does not exist unless we create it. Joy is not forced by gifts or romance; it is chosen by the heart that delights in love in all its forms. And so, let us walk in this teaching: to love freely, to live lightly, and to let no day be called bad, when love itself still breathes within us.