Being single at Ouachita can be tough, sometimes really tough, especially around Valentine;s Day. But this semester I have learned the beauty in celebrating-yes, CELEBRATING-singleness! It really does have a lot to offer when you think about it, so here is my encouragement for you fellow single Ouachitonians.
- You can save money! Have you ever stopped and looked at how expensive Valentine’s gifts can be? The spending isn’t just on Valentine’s Day either, it’s all year around. I’ll keep spending my money on just me and saving the rest, thank you very much.
- You get to be a little more selfish! (Notice I say, “a little.” Selfishness is not something that we should strive for.) But, if I want to go grab Arby’s for lunch, I am probably going to get Arby’s because I don’t have to worry about anyone else’s opinion.
- You have a unique freedom in friendship. I have lots of guy friends. Lots of guys who are like a brother to me, but these men would not play such a role in my life if I was not single. There is no one here to say, “I don’t really like you talking to that friend.”
- You have flexibility with your time. You get to choose when you want to do things, when you want to leave, and when you just want to sit in your room and watch Netflix for a night. It’s all your choice without the guilt of letting someone down!
- You have more time to just be yourself, learn about yourself, grow into who you are. People in relationships become connected with their significant other, which can be a beautiful thing, but there is something so special about just being 100 percent yourself and growing in that way.
- You also have more of an opportunity to protect your heart and your feelings. Your heart is special, and it is a treasure. When we are single, we have full control over it, and don’t have to worry about it being hurt.
My last point is one that a sweet friend pointed out to me. In 1 Corinthians 7, Paul is giving some relationship encouragement, but in verses 25-35, he encourages singleness. He points out that married people have to be worried about their families, whereas single people’s only concern is “to be holy both in body and spirit.”
Paul adds a disclaimer before this encouragement, saying that this truth is not a command from the Lord, but is His opinion, which is “trustworthy by the Lord’s mercy.” So relationships and marriage are not wrong by any stretch of the imagination. Paul is just encouraging others in a truth that he has lived out. He concludes this section in verse 35 by saying, “I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.”
What a cool gift we have in singleness. Our only worries have to be about the Lord!
So, this Valentine’s Day, even if your life looks different than many people around you, I hope and pray that you realize and CELEBRATE how special this season of life is.
By Katie Jo Henley, staff writer
