A Valentine Without You

Valentine’s Day had always been special for Claire and James. It was the day they met, the day he first held her hand, the day he proposed. Every year, they celebrated with candlelit dinners, handwritten notes, and long walks under the stars. But this year was different. This year, Claire was alone.

James had always been the love of her life, her best friend, her rock. But life had a cruel way of testing love, and the weight of distance, misunderstandings, and unspoken words had pulled them apart. He was gone—not in the physical sense, but in the way that truly mattered. The space beside her in bed was empty, his laughter no longer filled the room, and the absence of his presence felt heavier than she could have ever imagined.

As Valentine’s Day approached, Claire found herself drowning in memories. The scent of his cologne still lingered on his old jacket hanging by the door. A box of love letters sat untouched in the drawer, each word once a promise, now a painful reminder. Every store window she passed was filled with heart-shaped decorations, chocolates, and roses, all whispering cruelly of a love she no longer had.

She could have stayed in bed all day, letting grief consume her. She could have allowed herself to wallow in the sadness of spending the day without him. But deep down, Claire knew James wouldn’t have wanted that. He had always believed in finding joy, in embracing life even in the darkest of times. And so, she decided to do something different this Valentine’s Day.

She picked up a notebook and wrote at the top of the page: “Reasons to Love Myself.”

At first, the words felt foreign. She had spent so long loving someone else that she had forgotten how to love herself. But as she wrote, she began to remember. She was kind. She was strong. She had dreams, ambitions, a heart full of love to give. She wrote about her passion for painting, her love for books, the way she found beauty in the simplest things.

Then, she took herself on a date. She put on her favorite dress, the one James always said made her look like the stars had kissed her. She went to the café they used to visit, ordered her favorite dessert, and watched the world around her. Furthermore, she saw couples holding hands, friends laughing, children running around with heart-shaped balloons. Instead of feeling bitter, she smiled. Love was still alive, even if it wasn’t in the way she once knew.

As the day came to an end, she stood by the ocean, the waves crashing gently against the shore. She closed her eyes and whispered into the wind, “I miss you, James. But today, I chose to love myself. And I think you’d be proud.”

The stars twinkled above, as if they were winking at her in approval. And for the first time in a long while, Claire felt at peace. Valentine’s Day without him wasn’t the same, but it was still a day filled with love—love for the memories, love for the journey ahead, and most importantly, love for herself.

Because love, she realized, wasn’t just about someone else. It was about embracing the beauty of one’s own heart, even in the absence of another.