Valentine’s Day is an annual celebration of love. For the past four years, Valentine’s Day has been full of happiness for me. My boyfriend, Aiden, and I have gone to school together since Kindergarten. Obviously, we don’t remember much of each other when thinking that far back, but there are pictures of us standing by each other at our adorable Christmas concerts. It wasn’t until our seventh-grade year that we truly got to know each other. 

Middle school was an awkward time for me, as it most likely was for everyone else. I didn’t know how to talk to the other people in my grade. Eventually, I joined a friend group that warmly welcomed me in. In this group was Aiden. He was the first boy that I was actually able to hold out a conversation with. Soon enough, he asked me for my number and we started texting, with all those weird emojis that middle schoolers use. 

He asked me to be his girlfriend during our eighth-grade year on January 21st, making Valentine’s day of 2018 our first one together. At this point we were both thirteen-year-olds who were too scared to hug each other, so we probably just sent each other cheesy Valentine’s Day text messages. As the years have gone by, we have grown closer together and have learned what love means to us. Love, to us, should be thoughtful and true. This year for Valentine’s Day, his gift to me was just that. He bought jeans and hand-painted them! Because of the thought and effort that he put behind that pair of jeans, they are now my favorite- and they are also super cute.

Valentine’s Day is a day of love, and love to me is trust, companionship and commitment. Love requires a dynamic between you and your partner, which Aiden and I have. He is the more quiet, introverted person, and I am the more outgoing, extroverted person. Because we have each other, I can help Aiden to be extroverted and engage in conversations when he wants to. He helps me know when I may be overbearing or “too hyper.” We keep each other balanced. 

Valentine’s Day may be a day of love, but love should be celebrated every day. I am so grateful for the past four years that I have spent “love day” with Aiden. I would not have it any other way. This was my love story, and I hope all of you can find yours, or keep yours going! Happy Valentine’s Day!