Valentine’s Day: A day that seems to be reserved for smitten couples, new relationships and desperately hopeful young lovers.

It’s usually only enjoyable for those who have love to celebrate.

For others, Valentine’s Day is miserable.

Jilted lovers, those recently dumped and anyone who feels they are wrongly single usually comment that Valentine’s plans consist of a sappy movie and a pint of their favorite frozen treat.

That’s the old cliché about this day, saying only individuals who are in a satisfying relationship can manage to enjoy the holiday.

They’re the happy couples, the young lovers and the new flames who have everything to celebrate on the holiday of love.

This Feb. 14, though, it doesn’t matter if you’re single or dating, married or divorced, hooking up or breaking up.

This Valentine’s Day, let’s make an atmospheric shift from whatever is traditionally accepted and direct our love to the NIU community, whose collective heart is filled with love for the Huskies that were lost and the Huskies that remain.

Anyone who may be harboring bitter feelings about Cupid’s favorite day, remember this: Valentine’s Day may be all about love, but it doesn’t necessarily need to be about romantic love.

At this time nearly one year ago, the NIU community was hit by a tremendous tragedy.

Instead of falling apart and wallowing in self-pity, however, the community is united in such a wonderful way that, even today, we have a stronger and better community because of it.

For NIU students, faculty, community members, parents and alumni, the traditional meaning of Valentine’s Day will forever be overshadowed by a strong sentiment: the united feeling of a true community that was drawn together, not torn apart, by a tragic event.

So this Saturday, when florists try to sell that last, wilting rose bouquet and the networks start to play all the old Valentine’s Day episodes from sitcom seasons’ past, don’t think of it as Valentine’s Day.

Think of it as the day when Huskies all over were suddenly drawn together by an event that, despite its tremendous tragedy, was beyond anyone’s control.

For us, Feb. 14 has become much more significant than traditional Valentine’s Day, but it should still be all about love.