by Charlie Smith-Knight
Well, hello there St. Valentine. The Christmas lights have been (badly) put away for another year and the ritual slog through the 365 days of January have commenced. But here he comes, ready to rip the last of those mince pies out your hand and ram his zeal for love down your throat instead. Does he love love even more than Cupid? Probably, because it’s not hard to beat babies at stuff. They’re famously easy to distract and have no longevity for enduring interest. So, Sainty V is coming with his annual reminder for us to celebrate the ones we love in life.
On that note, I’m aware that notoriously St Valentine is usually out here fangirling couples. Generally, they’re considered his bread and butter. But this 3rd century Roman didn’t account for a bunch of 30 somethings raised on Bridget Jones and the ability to slide into each other’s DMs. Let’s be honest, our parents can’t even be mad. They cultivated the 1960’s into reality and should just be grateful social media didn’t exist to immortalise an era of tie dye and questionable substance consumption.
So, what do the singletons do when the Valentine flood gates open and spew their lovelorn guts all over the place like the elevator doors in The Shining? Well, the 90s called and they want pints of ice cream and crying back. No, we have moved on as a species. Enter, Galentine’s. Fans of Parks and Recreation will need no introduction to the idea but from those humble beginnings, millennials have picked up that relatable torch and run with it. Now Galentine’s is the modern mid-February celebration for those who don’t have, or don’t want, a romantic partner.
Essentially, Galentine’s is your opportunity to revel in the platonic love you have for your gals. Obviously, in the interest of inclusivity, please feel free to replace ‘gals’ with ‘pals’, after all slinging back a chilled Pinot and roasting each other’s ex’s is a sport for all gender identities. Book a restaurant, throw a dinner party or just pull up a chair at a familiar table and if the wine isn’t enough of an incentive, please consider all the ways your friends have enriched your life. Very few of us have ended up in therapy as the result of a friendship *cough* marriage counselling *cough*.
In fact, there’s actual Science involved here. Goggles on, please. Studies have shown that those with strong social connections are safeguarded against mental health issues like depression and anxiety. Sharing your experiences with trust-worthy mates helps to protect you against negative thought invasion and promote your overall mental well-being.
Your friends even bolster your physical welfare. Textbooks open, please. ‘The Annals of Behavioural Medicine. Vol 33’ states that having a supportive friend to talk to reduces stress resulting in lower blood pressure. Yes, I actually looked that up. And yes, your friends are actually having a positive impact on your physiology. Other studies have shown that when faced with tough tasks, those working alongside their friends had a reduced heart rate compared to those working alone. In turn, isolation has proven links to increased incidents of heart attack, stroke and precipitated death
(excitedly stabs whiteboard to emphasise the point). Not to be dramatic but our friends are the allies we have against life’s pitfalls and an expedited march towards the grave. I know, I know, keep it light. Consider them the Besties Armed Forces. When that Tinder date turns out to be catfish, who is going to be there to assure you that it was probably just filters and not your terrible judgement?
Or when you’re getting chatted up by someone who has the sort of halitosis that could strip paint at 500 yards, who is going to promise you that there are less smelly fish in the sea? It’s your pals. You’ve bonded over your shared life experience and they’re currently saving you from a premature toe-tag. Now, isn’t that worth celebrating?!
The Indian philosopher Osho, once said ‘friendship is the purest love’. Saweetie and Doja Cat said something that can’t legally be printed. The point is, no matter who you are, the friends you have are some of the real loves of your life. So, raise a glass with your pals this February 14th and toast to a renewed year of friendship. Come hell, high water and all the phases of jeans. Even low-rise.