It’s Valentine’s Day and it is just another day for a Single Parent. It continues to amaze me that a beautiful, intelligent, sensitive, caring, responsible, thoughtful and fun-living person could be sitting at a restaurant dinner table alone on Valentine’s Day. The other tables have people who are engaging with each other, laughing and enjoying each other’s company. All I can do is look at my cell phone and attempt to block the background chatter. Valentine’s Day is for lovers and lovers don’t stop loving or leave their mates to spend Valentine’s Day by themselves. What man allows their woman to sit in a restaurant by themselves to enjoy a meal? Not the right man! I don’t quite understand and maybe I am not to. Thank goodness I enjoy my own company and can sit patiently while I wait for my food. Boy, am I hungry. The smell of good vegan healthy cooking is addictive. Should I get a glass of wine? No, not this time.
My closest friends are married and are with this spouses and that’s what should be happening. They are busy making their husband’s happy. It takes alot of confidence to sit at a table in one of the most popular restaurants on Valentine’s Day alone. Tonight, God is my date. The surprising thing is even though I sit at a table alone – I don’t feel alone. I almost wish my friend would walk up and say, “surprise.” Now, that would make my evening. As I sit and notice the male couple who appear to be in love sit close together and share a bottle of red wine. They’ve obviously been dating for a while. The table over to the right has an older couple who have on wedding rings who haven’t said two words to each other since they sat down. The table near the door is obviously a family of 3 generations of women – granddaughter, daughter and mother. They laugh and reminisce on their early days, trade beauty secrets and talk hair styles. Nevertheless, they are truly enjoying themselves. I see a young couple sitting near the window. She has on what appears to be an engagement ring. He does not have on a ring. He is in awe by her beauty. They have sincere smiles and clearly adore each other. They are probably making wedding, honeymoon, and baby plans. Plans of spending the rest of their lives together. How lovely it is to have someone to plan your life with. My meal is delicious. The perfect comfort food, soy meatless meatloaf, over a bed of Mac and cheese and mashed potatoes topped with sautéed kale. And, then a side of vegan strawberry cake to complete the meal. It’s hard to believe this restaurant is 100% vegan. Right now, I have so many emotions mixed into one. A part of me wants to scream, another wants to cry, another part breeds contentment and another part of me says what the hell am I doing here? What do I have to prove and to who do I prove it to? At this age, I have no cares about what people think and say because I have to enjoy my own company before someone will enjoy me. I wonder how many other single people spent this day alone. Even introverts need adult meaningful conversations sometimes. This should not be a thing. How bold and beautiful I am. This comfort food is surely hitting the spot. There goes my waistline. I’ll be drinking soup for dinner all week. Well, at least I will sleep well. The young black couple do not have on rings, but they both pull out their phones as soon as they sit down. Why go out to dinner if you’re going to be glued to your phone? I’m glued to my phone because I’m at the table alone. If I had a date my attention would be on him. Four black college age males walk in and have a seat. They clearly hang in the same circles.
-A Single Parent’s Truth
A Single Parent's Truth 