February Interviews: Valentine's Edition
February 2021
Mrs. McGee:
Mrs. McGee first met her husband at Wheaton College in Illinois and ever since then, they’ve been smitten with each other--for 28 years to be exact.
Their options for Valentine’s Day were limited due to the pandemic this year, so they settled on a pleasant dinner together at an outdoor restaurant in the quaint downtown Fullerton. They were perfectly content with the simplicity of this night since they dislike the superficiality of “Hallmark holidays”. To top off the evening, her husband “fed her chocolate addiction” with Godiva chocolate--her absolute favorite.
Mrs. McGee emphasized how “friendship is the most important aspect of love,” since it’s not about romance or attraction, but it’s instead about companionship. Simply enjoying the time you spend with each other is the key to a successful relationship. She also mentioned that “as a highschooler, you shouldn’t worry just yet about making love last.” She did mention how in the future, it’s necessary that you’re able to express your genuine feelings to one another, especially when it feels difficult to love the other person. But before you even think about diving into a relationship, you need to first focus on yourself and ensure your own happiness. Don’t rely on someone else to do that for you, and especially don’t change yourself for someone else. You will never be happy if you do so.
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Mr. Stein:
Mr. and Mrs. Stein’s very own “happily ever after” was unforeseen at first, since they were strictly best friends for many years after hitting it off at a church youth group in high school. Eventually, they recognized their obvious feelings for one another and started dating in their mid-twenties. On their 364th day of dating, Mr. Stein proposed to her, purposefully on the day before their one year anniversary to avoid being cliché. He reflected that she was always “quick to see” that they would end up together, while he was “hard-headed and slow because guys are dumb.”
Before they started dating, Mr. Stein’s first move was asking Mrs. Stein out on a “platonic” Valentine’s Day date together at Disneyland, where they both got Mickey Mouse shaped waffles. To celebrate this year, Mrs. Stein packed lots of delicious food for a picnic in their neighborhood park, marveling at the view that overlooked the bustling city and lovely hills below. Both agreed to keep the day simple since they dislike the “hype” of Valentine’s Day, especially since public areas tend to get crowded and gifts are horrifically overpriced.
Mr. Stein stressed that in a relationship, it is crucial to take it slow since you “don't want to accelerate things too quickly because that can lead to some hurtful or dangerous situations.” There’s no need to be in a rush to meet the “right person” because it takes a while to do so. And the absolute, most important thing is that you should marry your best friend--a word of wisdom from Mr. Stein’s personal experience--because it’s someone you’re going to spend hours and hours with for the rest of your life.
Mr. Smith:
Little did Mr. Smith know that when he met his trainer at TGI Friday’s, he had actually met his best friend, the love of his life, and future wife all bundled into one. After she taught him the very-intricate skills of serving, they became inseparable, which then, of course, naturally evolved into a relationship. Since then, they have been together for eight years, dating for five and married for three.
The Smiths spent this Valentine’s Day restaurant-hopping around Costa Mesa, consuming exquisite drinks and an infinite amount of appetizers. They then spent the rest of their night geeking over board games galore. Traditionally, the two devote Valentine's Day solely to each other, casting all their work aside to fill their day with excitement.
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According to Mr. Smith, the biggest red flag when it comes to dating is when your partner is kind to you, but unfriendly to others, since how they treat others is a clear indicator of how they will treat you in the future. Instead, you should date someone who is compassionate, humble, and humorous towards everyone. For a long-lasting relationship, the key thing is to share the same values so that your life goals--career, marriage, kids, future--are all aligned. Above all, your partner should be your best friend. There should be zero secrets, as you should always communicate with them about everything. Without these basics, your entire relationship will crumble into pieces.
Most importantly, Mr. Smith also has some controversial dating advice: avoid Italian food on the first date. “It’s not dreamy to date a guy who slurps his noodles and gets sauce everywhere,” he warns. Save it for at least the third date.
Mr. Atkins:
Mr. Atkins and his six-year-old son celebrated Valentine's Day with a vigorous bike ride down a 10 mile hiking trail. That night, Mr. Atkins cooked a savory spaghetti dinner for his guests--a close friend from high school and her son--and generously bought her flowers as well. Afterwards, they entertained themselves with lively music and board games; however, Mr. Atkins’s son utterly destroyed him in checkers--a devastating and humiliating defeat, considering his son is already a checkers master at only six-years-old….They settled down for a nice quiet evening by devouring the heavenly, scrumptious, and mouth-watering pound cake Mr. Atkins made. After his son drifted off to a blissful sleep, they put on a romantic movie, but he admitted it was getting a bit tedious to watch after the couple on screen argued for the thousandth time.
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Mr. Atkins stressed the importance of communication since it’s crucial to know who the other person truly is inside and out. You shouldn’t choose someone solely based on their appearance because that always fades over time. As for yourself, you should be true to who you are and your values rather than masking your genuine self with your “best face”. According to Mr. Atkins, “the thing with teenagers is that there’s a pride thing there. Like ‘I don't want this person to know this about me because they might not like me.’ That’s something all teenagers have to work through. That thing about you, is you.” In spite of all challenges you encounter in a relationship, you should “be true to yourself at all costs,” and eventually, the right person will come your way.
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Mrs. Blevins:
At first, Mrs. Blevins flat out refused to meet her future husband, since she was extremely skeptical of her roommate’s matchmaking skills, which had been a complete disaster in the past. Despite this, her roommate persisted with her efforts and invited him over for dinner--a shock to the oblivious Mrs. Blevins. Thankfully, the matchmaking skills paid off this time, as she and her husband have been together for 35 years and married for almost 34.The couple started off this Valentine’s Day with a soothing yoga class, then cooled off with a walk. That night, Mrs. Blevins whisked together a savory, tender chicken dish, which her husband devoured in seconds to display his love. Afterwards, she spent the rest of the night throwing together an exciting lesson plan for the upcoming week and graded papers--which all got A’s, of course, right seniors? Every year, her husband gifts her a bouquet of flowers and they always exchange thoughtful cards.
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To pick her ideal partner, Mrs. Blevins made a list of all the qualities she desired in one, and checked it for an entire year until she discovered her husband fit all of them perfectly. Some qualities she mentioned were how they have to be your friend and are willing to grow as a person throughout your relationship. She especially emphasizes that an ideal partner needs to “understand you are not necessarily your family”. This is because that person should simply love you for who you are instead of letting those around you define you. She also explains that “your previous boyfriends/girlfriends are irrelevant,” that is “unless your current
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February 2021
beau needs to understand that you’ve been in a toxic relationship.” For a successful relationship, you must share similar faiths, be responsible with your money, and agree on whether or not you want children, which are all huge deal breakers. All these factors show why taking a relationship slow is crucial to developing a healthy bond. Getting to truly know your partner allows you to conquer these problems together, ensuring you will find your perfect match--just as Mrs. Blevins found hers.
Sarah Murphy
Sarah Murphy
February 2021