Celebrating Staying Single
Today (Feb 11th) is ‘Satisfied Staying Single Day’. The name speaks for itself although I was a little suspicious when I discovered that a couple — Thomas and Ruth Roy — came up with the idea.
But it turns out that Thomas and Ruth Roy have earned a claim to fame by suggesting some 50 special days in the year, including “Happy Mew Year for Cats Day (Jan 2), “Who Shall I Be Day” (Feb 17), and “Bad Poetry Day” (Aug 18).
Wikipedia tells us that Thomas Roy is an actor so I guess suggesting special days with his wife was a creative way to spend time in between acting gigs. And when he was called to act, he’s taken on a range of roles including a street preacher, an Amish grandfather, and a “drunk but likeable” grandfather. I guess that’s not quite a “range” of characters but a job is a job.
The point of “Satisfied Staying Single Day” on Feb 11th is to counter all the syrupy treacle we have to wade through in the lead-up to Valentine’s Day on the 14th. As one commentator remarked, there’s so much sweetness in February that we’re bound to get a “mouth full of cavities”.
So, being single myself, I guess I’ll take some consolation in the day celebrating my relationship status — at least for a day. In lieu of a soulmate, I’m grateful for liking myself and having a number of good friends around the world. I never thought I’d be single at my age but as my grandmother once told my mother about getting married, “You made your bed, now you have to lie in it.” Although in my case, it was more like “messing the bed” rather than making it, but you get the point.
So, if you’re single, celebrate the day and take comfort knowing you’re not alone. If you’re in my age bracket (the 60s) there are 185, 785 other single souls out there in Canada. If you’re 30 or younger, you’re among a couple of million. Don’t let anyone’s withering looks put you off. Reject your friends’ attempts to set you up on blind dates. Buy yourself a gift knowing that whatever you give yourself, it will be perfect!
And while most single people will celebrate the day alone (as befitting the spirit of the day) you might also consider inviting a group of your single friends for dinner (COVID protocols of course) or a Zoom chat. Share how great it is to be single. Boast how you get to stretch out on the bed instead of clinging to the edge of the mattress. Confess how great it is to stay up as late as you want watching TV or scrolling Facebook without someone nagging you to “come to bed”.
Why, who knows, all that intimate sharing over dinner or on Zoom just might lead to a romantic spark with someone. And if so, you still have a few days to buy a box of chocolates and a cheesy card.
Enjoy your “Satisfied Staying Single Day”! Thanks a lot, Thomas and Ruth Roy!!
#SatisfiedStayingSingleDay
