I love Valentine's Day! I love it, I love it, I love it. I like

In the words of Ginnifer Goodwin, “I love Valentine’s Day! I love it, I love it, I love it. I like having doors opened for me. My favorite romantic comedy is When Harry Met Sally.” Though spoken with joy and delight, these words reveal something deeper than mere affection for a holiday or a film. They reveal the eternal longing of the human soul for gestures of love, for the rituals of tenderness, and for the stories that remind us of our shared humanity. To proclaim love for Valentine’s Day is to embrace not only the sweetness of flowers and gifts, but the ancient truth that love itself is worthy of celebration.

The origins of Valentine’s Day reach back to the days of Rome, to the legend of Saint Valentine, who, as stories tell, defied the emperor’s orders and secretly married young couples to protect the sacred bond of love. Some say he wrote the first Valentine’s letter before his death, signing it, “From your Valentine.” Thus, the holiday was not born from frivolity but from courage—an act of defiance in the name of union, a reminder that love is worth risk, even in the face of death. To say, as Goodwin does, “I love it” again and again, is to echo that ancient flame: that to honor love is to honor life itself.

She also speaks of the joy of small gestures—“I like having doors opened for me.” This may seem simple, even quaint, but such courtesies are the outward signs of inner reverence. In the days of knights and troubadours, the code of chivalry demanded that warriors not only wield the sword but also honor the beloved with gentleness and care. To open a door, to show respect in action as well as word, is to live out the truth that love thrives not only in grand declarations but in daily kindness. These gestures, though small, carry the weight of devotion.

Goodwin names her favorite romantic comedy, When Harry Met Sally, a tale beloved because it speaks to something timeless: that love is often found not in sudden passion, but in friendship grown deep and steady over years. This story endures because it tells us that love can blossom where laughter and companionship already dwell, that the truest bond is not merely desire but also recognition—that in another soul, we find both a mirror and a home. Such stories are modern, yet their heart is ancient, for the Greeks and Romans, too, wrote of lovers who first found joy in friendship before discovering the fire of passion.

Thus, her delight in romantic comedy and Valentine’s Day is not trivial, but rooted in a profound human need: to be reminded of love’s beauty, to see it celebrated, to feel it honored in both story and ritual. These things may seem lighthearted, but they are the threads that weave connection in a world often consumed with toil and sorrow. Without such reminders, the heart grows cold; with them, it is refreshed and made ready to love again.

The lesson, then, is this: do not scorn the celebrations of love, nor dismiss the gestures of courtesy, nor belittle the stories that make us laugh and cry. They are not foolish, but wise, for they keep the flame alive in a world that would otherwise let it die. Even the simplest gesture—holding a door, writing a note, giving a flower—can awaken warmth in another’s soul.

And what must you do? Embrace love’s rituals with sincerity. Celebrate Valentine’s Day not only with gifts, but with genuine words and acts of devotion. Watch the stories that remind you of the power of love, and let them soften your heart. Practice small courtesies daily, for they build a foundation stronger than grand speeches. In this way, your life will be marked by tenderness and joy, and you will pass down to others the wisdom that love—expressed, celebrated, and honored—is the greatest gift of all.