Happy Valentine's Day

The official holiday name is Saint Valentine's Day, but it has been shortened to Valentine's Day. Every year this date is set aside to celebrate love and increase restaurant revenue not to mention the boost in flower, candy and greeting card purchases.
Do I sound cynical. My husband is one of those that does not approve of the celebration of Valentine's Day. Every year I try to bend him around to common acceptance of this holiday with varying degrees of success, not very satisfying for either one of us. This year I have given up. I have a meeting at lunchtime and a rehearsal at dinnertime. I plan to spend a good portion of the day away from home running errands. I have given up on Valentine's Day.
I was okay with this loss of control until a close relative e-mailed me that her new boyfriend feels the same way as my husband, total anti-Valentine's Day man. She took matters into her own hands and declared it's okay not to like the traditional trappings of Valentine's Day that are designed to enrapture females everywhere but it is the recognized day for love and they will spend some time together with a designated activity like working at a soup kitchen, volunteer for a worthy charity, clean up along the roadside or just going for a walk together.
She is my hero. I would have been satisfied with any of her suggestions. Now, I am avoiding my home to squelch my expectations. I have moved away from celebrating love to hiding in my car to spare my feelings and his. Next year I will get a copy of her list of possible activities and serve it up for my husband to pick one. No stress, no strain and no hurt feelings.
From now on Valentine's Day is a day to do good together.