I was going through the site and found this post I wrote on February 13, 2014. I liked the idea then and I still like it now. In fact, I would say that now more than ever we need to take the time to stop and understand others around us. Doesn’t matter if they are next door or a thousand miles away.
I’d still offer the same advice as I did years ago. Go out and meet someone new, experience a new culture, understand your differences, listen to their stories. Get involved, read and learn about everything you’re concerned about. Make a call, show up at a meeting, run for office! Have your own opinions based on facts you’ve learned and researched or experienced. It might be scary, but I guarantee you that you will grow and make a new friend or two along the way. Here’s wishing you all the love in the world.
Most of this advice still holds true even if we can’t always meet in person. Finding ways to stay connected and informed hasn’t gone away it’s just changed. Reach out and connect with someone today.
Happy Valentines Day to the World! People typically take time on Valentine’s Day to wish their loved ones a happy day and celebrate the love they share with each other. This usually takes many forms that include buying gifts like candy, jewelry, lingerie, and many other romantic goodies. But I want to take this time on Valentine’s Day to say “I love you” to the world.
If I hadn’t had the opportunity to travel to so many countries I wouldn’t have the appreciation that I have for my friends and family all over the world.
Travel is a Luxury
I also wouldn’t have an appreciation of the diverse cultures and people from around the world. I grew up in the United States, which is a melting pot of so many wonderful different people yet we so rarely take the time to learn about these differences. So often, we tend to gravitate to people like ourselves. Let’s face it, it’s easy, a whole lot easier. Taking the time to meet someone new especially someone who lives outside of your neighborhood, or looks different can be challenging for some people. For most people.
The most important thing I’ve learned from all my travels is that every time I take the stop and open my mind and heart to others it’s always a wonderful surprise. Even someone who has a grumpy look may just need a “good morning” or a “how are you today?” to make them look at you just a little different and change that frown into a big old smile.
I’m so lucky to have had the opportunity to meet many amazing people. People in places like Johannesburg, Dubai, Vienna, Kazakhstan, Vietnam, Munich, Sao Paulo, Brussels, Istanbul, Jordan, Beijing, London, Taipei, Paris, Kuala Lumpur, Madrid, Delhi, and many more, have changed my world forever. Some I still talk to and see on social media regularly. Some I may never see again. Either way, they have all helped to open my mind and make me see not only our differences but our commonalities as well.
Without these experiences, I would not know how lucky I am to be a woman able to start my own business, love whomever I choose, have a safe home, eat when I’m hungry, and drink fresh clean water when I’m thirsty. I am thankful every day for these luxuries that we sometimes take for granted.
I’ve had the opportunity to meet so many fellow travelers along the way and many of them I now call friends. I hope we all can keep sharing our passion for travel and the joy of learning about others. Happy Valentine’s Day my friends!
Just One More Thing
My suggestion is on Valentine’s Day, why not get to know one new person? Maybe a co-worker, fellow student, shopkeeper, anyone who is different than you in any way, and share a meal or cup of coffee or tea together either in person or virtually. I love getting together with friends for virtual tea parties. We have a chance to catch up, relax and spend some time together.
Many of us get tired of the divisiveness and anger on our social media pages. Why not share something that is filled with love or gratitude? Why not brighten someone’s day?
We just don’t know what is going on in someone’s life. Just the act of one person smiling at you or saying hello can completely change someone’s day, their week, and maybe even their life. Isn’t it worth the risk?
Have a real conversation and listen. Listen to their joys and concerns. Listen to how many of those things are the same as yours. Then share that story with a family member or friend or share it on social media where you can brighten even more people’s lives.
Happy Valentine’s Day To the World
I believe that this type of positive micro-interactions is exactly what can make the world smaller and bring it closer together. It seems like the world needs more love and more positivity than ever before.
Happy Valentines Day to the world, and to you and yours. I hope you make the most of it. Share at least some of these ideas with a new friend or friends.
Updated February 2023
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36 Comments
This is great. Valentine’s Day for me has never really been about my romantic love but more about my friends. We will get together for Valentines Day to celebrate our friendships even though we are married! I hope you had a great day!
That’s great to hear Aileen. I hope that one day our paths cross and we can meet in person. Thanks for stopping by.
Happy valentines! As a fellow traveler, I can share your excitement and sentiments! I’m actually a HUGE introvert but travel gave me some opportunities to improve myself while getting to know a lot more people along the way.
My grandparents traveled the world as missionaries for the better part of forty years. The cultural perspective they bring to our family can’t be measured. Not only through their stories, but through the son they adopted from Ethiopia and the friends who come to visit from all over the world. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that people are people and we’re not that different after all. x
Thanks Robin! I’m so glad you found it to be helpful. 🙂
Getting to know someone new can be difficult for a person like me. However, I do prefer to visit with an individual rather than a crowd. I will have to give some thought to whom I will choose.
I love your message. Making a concerted effort to get to know someone better is something we could all benefit from. How often do we have people in our lives that we interact with every single day but know very little about? I am going to give this some thought and reach out, just as you have suggested.
Love these suggestions! I will make every effort to do some of these, and in the process, hopefully brighten someone else’s day, as well as my own. Thanks for reminding us that it doesn’t take much effort to just be kind!
You know it Cathy! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Your trip looked amazing Suzanne. To be able to go back and revisit a place some many years later with your Mr. Excitement is really something special. Happy Valentine’s Day to you too!
We just arrived home yesterday from a 3 week trip to Ecuador and Colombia. Getting away from our everyday life reminded me of the importance of connection and kindness—as you said, even in micro interactions. Happy Valentine’s Day to you and Diana—and the world.
Happy Valentine’s Day, cheers to keeping the love going all year long❤
Love these suggestions.. I love traveling and meeting people. My Valentine’s Day was great.
My goodness I love your flowers! I hope you had a good Valentine’s Day!!
What a great idea. We often have neighbors that we see on a daily basis that we never communicate with. Hello is one thing but at least knowing a name or something about them is a great thing.
I love this. The world is in extreme need of love. I celebrated by being kinder to people in general.
Love your introductory paragraph as well as this uplifting post and so agree that we all need to spread a little love and keep making new friends. Maybe one of these days our paths will cross too!
Happy V Day!I absolutely love this idea! so much fun and everything looks so good.
Happy Valentine’s Day! I love, love love to travel and one of the best parts is meeting new people from different walks of life.
A happy Valentine’s Day right back at you! Love the positive vibes coming from your post – everyone deserves this much positivity on such a romantic day!
Happy Valentines Day to you as well! I’m horrible at meeting new people. I try, but as much as I am outgoing, I’m very shy to start with!
I agree with you that meeting others and traveling around the world can help you count your blessings and learn more about other people. I love your outlook on life in this post.
Traveling and meeting new people is a good learning platform. Although it doesn’t come cheap, the experience it provides sticks with us for a lifetime. I am fortunate to be able to visit some new places and have met some amazing people along the way. Happy Valentine’s day to you too!
The world could use some love. Happy Valentines Day to everyone, everywhere. Spread the love all year long.
I am very shy but I do meet people when I travel. I just returned from a cruise along the coast of Norway and I met some really nice people. It makes me sad to think that I may never see them again. Thankfully we can keep in touch through social media and who knows what the future holds. Happy Valentine’s Day to you and thank you for the uplifting post.
I love this little love not to the world. It has so much to offer us if we just get out there and experience it. We also need to remember to be grateful for it all as well!
I take a lot of things for granted that I probably shouldn’t, but it is convenient. Happy Valentine’s Day to you too!
My family loves to travel and meet new people along the way. Locals are so much fun and there is so much to be learned from them about their areas.
I love to travel and meet all types of people. I live on the gulf in South Texas we have winter texans every year and I learn so much from them, They are from all over.
My husband and I are actually on a travel adventure this week. We love meeting new people and eating where all the locals eat. I don’t travel as much as you do, but I love visiting different parts of our beautiful world. Happy Valentine’s Day!
This is a lovely idea.
I absolutely love this idea — how perfect for Valentine’s Day. Couldn’t agree more with all you said. I feel very lucky to have been able to travel and experience new things, meet many people and learn to appreciate all the wonderful things about being home in the USA, too.
Thx for the Valentine wishes and suggestions, Sue. I agree with you that we are so very fortunate as travellers to go out and find the good in the world that makes us better people. The person I am today who welcomes and admires differences, is the result of a lifetime of travel. Happy Valentine’s Week to you!
Love the picture of you two and Carol. Hey, that is the same day I met you. Great day.
Lovely. Lovely. Lovely. Just like you, Sue. The post is so positive and as much as I am an introvert (yes, really), I am so glad I push myself to meet new people through courses, FB, through friends, or through travelling…..like when you and Diana met up with me in Paris. Happy Valentines Day to you, Diana, Jake and Amelie (give them extra treats!).
Awww. What a great idea!