I really enjoyed my Valentine's Day. There is a lot of pressure associated with the holiday so part of me is glad that it's over. But as I said before, it will be a day I will never forget. I had to work all day, so I was extremely tired when I went out to dinner. I tried to hide my yawning from Sean. Hopefully, he didn't catch me or think he was the source of the yawns.

My date was wonderful, arriving in hand with a dozen roses. Our meal was amazing and the atmosphere equally delightful. I'm a people watcher by nature, so it was fun observing the couples that surrounded us. There was a gay couple to my left and a very young couple to my right. Both seemed to enjoy the evening. It was actually cute listening to the young couple decipher the menu. It seems like they were barely old enough for the complimentary Champaign. The two men to my right floated in and out of English and I believe Portuguese. Without speaking another language, I can tell they had been together for years. I noticed several "all girl groups" and smiled at how often that had been me. It made me wonder if I will find myself in their place yet again, next year. Always the optimist, I think not (okay, I'm not always optimistic, but I try).

My date and I discussed family, past loves, our favorite movies, and laughed over our differing hobbies. We also talked about the economy and it was wonderful to see the restaurants full (not just ours but many others). With the ailing economy, that hasn't been the case over the last few months. Well, as I said before the food was unbelievable. My date and I tried to keep up with the many courses. From lobster bisque to velvety chocolate cake, I felt my clothing grow tighter with every bite, all while the sleepiness intensify. By the time my date walked me to the train, the fresh air gave me a second wind.

Wide awake for the commute home I thought about the months ahead. I feel very fortunate to be in the place I'm at - dating again with prospects on the horizon. But I also thought about all of the other women who didn't spend Valentine's Day with a date. From my poll over half of you said you would be spending it alone. Perhaps some of you by choice, but I think many of you would have rather been out, receiving roses, eating a scrumptious meal. It seems that finding love shouldn't be so hard, especially for those of us who have spent more than half of our lives without that love. I wish there were a better way, one that gave us all greater access to healthy, romantic, lasting relationships. Maybe over the next 10 months you and I can work together to find that path. I'm willing, if you are. What are your thoughts?