In less than two weeks, our cities, local stores, expensive restaurants, and every other romantic place you can think of is going to be flooded with the love and dove of Valentine’s Day celebrants. My last few Valentine’s Day-related posts have skirted over the topic of actually celebrating the holiday—favoring tips on how to celebrate as a single person or how to turn the day into more than just a celebration of love. But this year, I decided to take a different route. It’s not because I have a reason to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year, but I guess you could say I wanted to throw a bone out there for our loved-up readers.
Cuddles, Hands, and More are just a few of my favorite—and very clean—things about dating. Hopefully they’ll help you get into the Valentine’s Day mood.
Dates
I know this seems like a no-brainer, but going on dates is a huge part of, well, dating. They don’t even have to be nights out—a movie night in or a homemade meal is just as charming. There’s something special about blocking out a couple of hours just to enjoy each other’s company. If the date’s going well, consider adding an extended portion—I’m talking those special dates where neither one of you wants the night to end so you end up coming up with something new to do on the spot just so you can stretch out your time together. That’s how you know something is going right in your relationship.
For those of you who can’t quite relate to the seamlessness of a date night with an established partner—maybe this is only your second or third outing—don’t stress. Early dates can be awkward at first, but revel in this opportunity to get to know one another. Build up to that casual night in.
Stories & Secrets
Call me substance over style. For us to thrive, I have to get to know you. I want you to feel comfortable telling me your stories and your secrets and everything else in-between—and I want to feel comfortable enough to tell you mine too. Knowing you share this type of connection with someone isn’t exactly something I can teach or check for you in a blog post. When you meet someone like this, you’ll know. You just…click.
Cuddling
I love a good cuddle. As cheesy as it sounds, when it’s right, you just fit. It’s a warm and protective feeling you don’t get doing anything else. And if you’re someone who expresses love through touch, this is both an innocent yet intimate way to show your romantic partner just how much they mean to you.
Phone Calls & Text Messages
Has your crush, lover, significant other ever called you or sent you a message, and you look down at your phone, and before you even pick it up your heart beats a little big faster just knowing it’s them on the other end? Yeah, me too.
I think these digital forms of communication are just as special as any face-to-face contact because it shows that even when you’re not together, you’re thinking of each other.
“This is completely random, but it’s something that made me laugh, and I wanted to share it with you.”
Or
“I’m so bored. Will you talk to me about nothing until I fall asleep?”
You can’t tell me you wouldn’t love to get a phone call or text message like that.
Hand Holding
Once, I read a short social media post about the beauty of hand holding. Out of all the big and small things we could be doing with our hands—holding a baby or eating popcorn—people still choose to hold hands. It’s an action that can come off as perfectly pure—locking fingers isn’t even a necessity. But it can also be really personal—tracing over knuckles, painting fingerprints into calluses, squeezing away fears. If you’ve ever had anyone hold your hand like this, I expect you to put hand holding on your list of dating favorites. Just remember, for the time my hand is locked into yours, you are the most important thing I could be holding—I am choosing to hold onto you.
* * *
What are some of your random favorite things about dating? Leave a comment and let me know! And a super sweet Valentine’s Day to all of you beautiful readers—couple or not!
Speaking of dating, I’ve written a handful of poems about dating and love all in my debut book, SPACES, available for purchase now on Amazon! Make sure to snatch your copy! I’ve also got a sneak peak surprise at one of the love poems in the book for tomorrow’s Poetry update, so check back tomorrow night to read that!
samanthasabio 