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The reason had nothing to do with my love life
One cold February evening, I attempted to bid the world farewell from the comfort of my bed. I was 8 years old.
I’ve written about this experience in more detail — in fact, it was the first Medium article I ever published — but I’m not interested in rehashing my trauma today. I’m not here to cast negative energy into the universe on a day that’s supposed to be all about love and light.
I just want to remind everyone that people don’t always hate Valentine’s Day because they’re single. Sometimes the holiday triggers other memories — memories unrelated to love or lust. Many of us fight silent struggles and get sucked into the darkness of our past when Valentine’s Day rolls around.
I like Valentine’s Day now, but I still stayed up until 3a.m. last night thinking about my past. Instead of dwelling on my childhood pain, I decided to reflect on the positive parts of my romantic relationships. Several of them were toxic, but there were still moments of brightness. One nearly destroyed me, but it helped me understand that I am loved by friends and family even when romantic love eludes me.
When my daughter was a toddler, I dated a wonderful guy who was also my best friend. Her father wasn’t around much back then, so my boyfriend read books about…
