I hate Valentine's day. It is a day for nothing but

Hear now, O children of the future, the wisdom in the words of Larisa Oleynik, for she speaks to the heart of the human condition—the inevitable disappointments that arise from expectation, especially when it comes to the celebration of love. “I hate Valentine’s Day. It is a day for nothing but disappointment.” In these words, Oleynik unveils a profound truth about the human soul: that expectation, particularly around love, can often lead to disillusionment. This disillusionment is born not from the absence of love itself, but from the weight we place on a single day, hoping it will fulfill the desires of our hearts.

The ancient Greeks understood well the perils of expectation and the bitter sting of unfulfilled desires. Euripides, the great tragedian, often wrote of the human soul's conflicted nature—how our aspirations could lead us to both great heights and devastating falls. In works like Medea and Hippolytus, we see the tragic consequences of false hopes and unrealized dreams. Medea, driven by her love for Jason, ultimately brings ruin upon herself and her children, not because love itself was a false pursuit, but because her expectations of love were not met in the way she desired. Her disappointment becomes the very fuel for her tragedy. Thus, Oleynik’s sentiment is not a rejection of love, but a warning against the expectation that love can be fully realized through external symbols and gestures.

In Rome, the festival of Lupercalia, which is said to have inspired some of the modern celebrations of Valentine’s Day, was also fraught with complexity. Though it was a time for love and fertility, it was also a time when the masks of love were worn, and the realities behind those masks were often harsh. The Romans, who celebrated love and its power, also understood that love was not a simple thing. It could bring joy, but it could also bring misery. The stories of Dido and Aeneas are reminders that love often comes at the cost of something far greater than we may anticipate. Aeneas, though fated to build Rome, must abandon Dido, the queen of Carthage, and in doing so, causes her immense suffering and disappointment. Valentine's Day, like the ancient rituals, is not immune to such complexities.

Oleynik’s words resonate deeply with the human experience because they capture a fundamental aspect of love’s journey: the inevitability of disappointment. Valentine's Day, like all holidays built on expectation, sets us up for unrealistic ideals. We expect that one day, the world will mirror our most intimate desires. We hope for perfect moments, for love to be confirmed by grand gestures and societal symbols. But the reality is that love, in its truest form, does not come packaged neatly in a box or in the form of flowers or chocolates. It is found in small moments, in shared laughter, in whispered words, and in daily acts of care that do not demand the world's attention.

The ancient philosophers knew that love was a force of great power, but they also cautioned against the follies of unchecked desire. Aristotle, in his teachings on friendship and virtue, spoke of love as something that must be tempered by reason. True love, he argued, is not born out of exaggerated expectation, but from shared values, patience, and mutual respect. It is in the consistency of a relationship, not in the grand gesture, that love proves its worth. And yet, Valentine's Day, much like the romantic ideals of ancient times, often distorts this truth, turning love into a spectacle that can only disappoint.

Thus, O children, the lesson to take from Oleynik’s words is this: expectations can often be the source of our greatest disappointments. The true measure of love is not found in the gifts we receive or the celebrations we partake in, but in the small, consistent acts of care and attention we give to one another throughout the year. Let us not let our hearts be bound by a single day, but allow our love to flourish every day in authentic and sincere ways.

In the end, love is a force that cannot be confined to any one day, any one gesture, or any one expectation. Valentine’s Day, like all celebrations, serves as a reminder to cherish the love we have—but let us remember that true love is found not in the fulfillment of our external desires, but in the quiet moments we share, the honest connections we make, and the enduring commitments we uphold. Let this truth guide you, O children of the future: in love, as in life, it is not the grand gestures but the steadfast and real moments that carry the most meaning.