Top 8 Best Essays on Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day... you know, it's still a day filled with flowers, laughter, joy, and happiness. Heart-shaped chocolates wrapped in pretty red bows, warm hand-holding, sweet kisses, and romantic confessions.

Truth is, you don’t need to wait for Valentine’s Day to give or receive love. You don’t need to wait for this once-a-year occasion to express your feelings, but maybe Valentine’s Day makes us feel braver about the love we've chosen. It's a day to cherish the love we have and embrace every precious moment. As the bells ring and the melodies of an old song fill the air, hand in hand with the one you love... it's warm, safe, and peaceful... that feeling is unforgettable, don't you think?

As for me... you know, even though life seems like an endless loop with no stops, even though I'm still worried and busy with the usual daily grind, fighting through reports, numbers, and presentations, I still have those same dreams I had when I was young, still hold onto those romantic thoughts about love, and still dream of someone who will walk with me through life. Is that too extravagant? Valentine’s Day still feels like the sun, wind, moon, stars... still flowers, gifts, candles, and sweet moments, the innocent love letters, the tiny joys that spread out and make me love life even more.

Thank you for loving me, for respecting and trusting me through the eyes of someone special.

Thank you to those who have crossed my path, making me more confident in my choices, in the road I’ve walked.

Thank you for giving me one more day to give and receive love like this...

You... you know, still ambitious, with paths that lead to distant lands, still holding onto dreams hidden on dusty bookshelves, still keeping thoughts to myself. Still torn between the past, present, and future, still telling me Valentine’s Day isn’t for you. I just smile, because I still hold onto my foolish pride, still want you to be confident, strong, and brave. I don’t want to admit that Valentine’s Day is really a day for you, the one searching for belief in love, in fate, in the good that exists, and in those who believe you can do anything...

Actually, love isn’t far from you. It’s just about whether you hear it, see it, feel it, and accept it. Embrace life, love yourself, and live for your dreams. Keep the pink hue of Valentine’s Day in your heart, because it’s been your day for a long time now.

Me - You - Valentine’s Day. I wonder if we’ll ever meet on this day? Whether the answer is yes or no, I still believe in fate, in destiny, in a “lucky encounter.” But this year, I’ll be different, more mature, more responsible, and love even more. I won’t lose my happiness because of insecurities or hesitation.

I still believe that on the winding roads of life, amidst the hustle and bustle, in the simplest joys, two people will suddenly recognize each other... Then I’ll wish that rain falls on Valentine’s night, softly, enough for someone to feel the warmth of each other, that the wind will come on Valentine’s night, gently, enough for someone to feel the need for each other's shoulder, and that miracles are real...

Those who love will find each other... like trains finding their final station... Believe that, won’t you?

Collected

Even if today, you don’t have anyone to share Valentine’s Day with, it’s okay because you are your own lover. Don’t hate yourself or punish yourself today.

We often find it easiest to love ourselves, but some people struggle with this. They may claim to love themselves, yet they treat themselves poorly. They abuse and punish themselves by dwelling on past mistakes. They neglect themselves and live to meet the expectations of others. They lose the ability to care for themselves, filling their hearts with negativity. They doubt the goodness in the world and can’t trust themselves.

Many say they love themselves, but their actions, thoughts, and behavior contradict their words. They accept only negativity, reject kindness, and believe they must be strong on their own, without relying on anyone. Doubting everything is a sign of not believing in oneself. How can you love yourself if you don’t trust yourself?

I’ve seen friends chasing perfection by being overly strict with themselves and others. That’s another sign of not loving yourself. They deny themselves the joy of even imperfect moments, whether with themselves or loved ones. I realized that many of them grew up with demanding parents, and now they’re repeating this cycle with themselves and their own children. It’s a loop that never ends.

Today, on Valentine’s Day, if you’re feeling bitter or sarcastic about this foreign holiday, a day that wastes money, or a day that’s not for you, or if you’re indifferent to it, please stop and listen: Can you treat yourself as your “My Valentine”? With small acts like these:

• I’ve made mistakes, but they belong to the past. Today, I can do better for tomorrow. I won’t blame myself or beat myself up anymore.
• If I didn’t receive love in my childhood, I’ll make up for it now. I’ll love the years I missed and ensure it doesn’t repeat with my children.
• I’ll find joy in imperfection, not only in myself but also in those around me.
• I’ll believe in the kindness others offer me because I deserve it. Just as I will believe in the love someone will give me in the future.
• I’ll make a list of the best things about myself and memorize it, updating it daily.
• I believe I deserve everything I have, what I am having, and what I will have. I’ll smile when I pass a mirror and at everyone I meet—they too reflect who I am.
• I’ll learn self-compassion and be kinder to myself, rejecting those and things that harm me or make me feel bad.
• In the end, I will always believe in myself the most. I will never doubt myself again.

My dear friend, for those skipping Valentine’s Day, we can always choose to be better anytime we want and take action. Please believe in love once more on this day of love. There’s an undeniable truth: we all deserve love when we know how to love ourselves.

Hoàng Anh Tú

As I read through the thoughts of those who are deep and reflective after Valentine’s Day, I suddenly feel less alone. I realize I have many allies. Some of my friends are upset because they didn’t receive any flowers, others are overjoyed after receiving chocolates that had been left behind after the holiday. There are also those who, despite being alone, proudly bought flowers for themselves, creating their own beautiful arrangements on a Valentine’s Day that they crafted with their own hands. Oh, my dear loves, how heartwarming!

After work, I was driving late at night along the quiet lakeside road. I felt my heart soften, lost in a nostalgic, almost indescribable feeling of longing. It was then that my mind wandered, and I stumbled upon the poem “Mountain and Rain,” which I had written recently. I felt a wave of emotion. I sent it to him with a simple goodnight wish (though I can’t be sure if my love truly slept well, as I wished). Then, I returned to my poetry, feeling lost in the moment.

This short poem is a reflection of Rain, but it’s titled “Mountain and Rain.” It’s only a few lines long, but anyone reading it can imagine the profound connection between these two forces of nature. The Rain has gone through something heavy and difficult, drained by the cold and dark clouds that stole its energy. It’s weary, longing to rest against the Mountain’s sturdy embrace. However, it didn’t realize that the Mountain’s shoulder is rough, its cliffs sharp—deceptively gentle but harsh. Everyone else understands this, except the Rain. And so, the Rain is crushed, its spirit broken, wounded.

But there is a happy ending. The Mountain, wise as Confucius said, knew it could not offer the Rain a soft shoulder to lean on. Yet, it bent down and shielded the Rain, guiding it gently back to its natural flow, allowing the Rain to return to its peaceful state. After traversing countless rocky paths, the rainwater finally gathered at the foot of the Mountain, forming a still, clear lake. The tranquility was overwhelming.

I adore the Rain’s persistence, its gentle spirit. I cherish the Mountain’s rugged yet sincere love. I admire those who take life slowly, reflect on its beauty, and learn from the serenity of the Mountain and the peaceful flow of Water. I also recall the wisdom of Confucius and the words of a friend: To truly appreciate poetry’s depth, to grasp the essence of each word, one must read slowly. If you read too quickly, it’s like a fleeting shower—it won’t soak your hair with the true meaning.

Mountain and Rain

Oh Mountain!
Let the Rain rest its head on your shoulder
The Rain has just escaped the cold, dark clouds
Seeking only a gentle embrace.
The Rain does not know that the Mountain is tranquil
But its cliffs are jagged, rough, and harsh
The Rain, naive,
Passionate,
Longing,
Shattered
By the sharp rocks...
Wounded.
A bond of affection
The Mountain before, the Rain after.
With open arms, the Mountain bends to shield the Rain
Even when shattered,
It still guides the Rain
To flow freely again.
At the Mountain’s feet, a peaceful, still lake.

Trần Huyền Tâm

Valentine’s Day arrived when I thought I had already forgotten about it. All memories of love seemed to have faded into the past, but suddenly they rushed back, evoking a tender, nostalgic feeling. Life is full of concerns, draining every thought, and only numbers—profit and loss—seem to matter. The demands of survival have pulled me into their whirlwind, covering up the romance I once had.

During these times, people tend to be gentler, more thoughtful, and even care for strangers (though we both know they're never really strangers). Every word spoken carries a soft, poetic tone, and everything seems to be tinted with the scent of chocolate. Every glance is filtered through rose-colored glasses, and even flaws seem endearing.

Perhaps this is the moment when love is watered and revived, and it’s truly heartwarming to see people stop competing and let romance take the lead.

For years now, chocolate boxes and bouquets of roses only live on social media, and I still write about them to console and comfort myself. The excitement of receiving gifts is gone, and I’ve become accustomed to self-deception, creating joy for myself in this ritual.

This afternoon, I received a message from a familiar phone number that stunned me. This number had been inactive for twenty years, and I had long forgotten about both it and its owner. A familiar face, with old memories that flooded back, not in order, but so vividly it felt as though they had just happened yesterday. A colleague from the past, we used to share bread when times were tough during the rationing period. The cans of tea we’d save for each other, with you always offering the best. You were a handsome, single man, the kind who caught the attention of every woman, yet you were always closest to me, though our bond never went beyond friendship. Then, I left the school, heard that you had gotten married, and lost touch. Twenty years later, this is the first time I remember you.

Life moved on, and I had stopped thinking about you. Today, the message was simple, just like before: “Wishing you happiness and peace!”

I didn’t reply, and I didn’t plan on calling, but my heart felt warm, and it seemed like the scent of roses and the taste of chocolate were subtly lingering, filling me with sweetness.

Nga Vu

Spring still feels so strangely new. Though the old year drifts slowly away, the new one bursts in unexpectedly, like a tight grip on a door handle, flinging it open to a distant yet vibrant world.

I no longer carry the heavy weight of fading gold or past goodbyes. My spring now is you, within my small, impulsive heart that loves you so deeply, words cannot express. A love that has been filled with countless nights of tears and restless turns. A love that has longed so fiercely, yet at times, broken in despair. But then, one spring day, as I sped down a narrow, worn-out path, your image suddenly rushed back to me, vivid and filled with love, impossible to forget.

How is it that a love can die so tragically, only to rise again, fresh and green, like a young sprout, yearning for the sunlight and the rain? Will you give me roses this Valentine’s Day? The yellow petals of the roses bloom vibrantly in the garden through February, like lovers, like affection. I remember a day in the year when white roses spread across a corner of the garden… back when you were still distant.

Now, the solitary rose of unrequited love has withered in another life. All I have left are yellow roses, reminders of the past, distant... Where are you now? Please come back to the old path. Listen to the dew opening up, hear the whispers of the thirsting sea. I am like a migrating bird, passing through a sunlit sky, leaving behind a small, sorrowful mark. Sometimes I wonder: "Mountains and waters are not the true essence. A person cannot escape the dampness of age…"

A fleeting moment, but filled with so many images of you.
…
Valentine is here, can you hear me?

The sweet spring is here, and I am still waiting...? The roses smile with every step of the lovers. The wind carries love from the great mountains across the lush plains, like the countless days of longing love.

Can you feel the new love song on my hair, not sad, not old, not sorrowful, but full of love and hope?

Can you hear it in my private weblog, where I sing to myself?

"…No matter the rain, I will take you to the end of this life
No matter the clouds or storms that may come
No matter the winds, the cold winds, the snow, the muddy ground
Even with the sad leaves, no matter what, I will still love you…"

Lê Hà Ngân

Can happiness in life truly be measured by the material value of a gift? Does true affection only need to be displayed on a holiday?

Another Valentine’s Day has arrived, and love is in the air. It’s the time when people exchange sweet words, bouquets of flowers, and expensive gifts. Some even compete to see which woman gets the more expensive gift, believing that the one receiving the most expensive present must be the one who is most loved.

But can happiness really be determined by the price tag of a gift? Is genuine love only something that can be shown on a specific holiday?

In the process of globalization, cultural integration has become an undeniable reality. Vietnam continues to strive for integration without losing its identity. One thing worth noting is that, over the years, we’ve maintained our core cultural values while also embracing new, exciting cultural influences from abroad—Valentine’s Day being one of them. This holiday has been warmly embraced by Vietnamese people, particularly the younger generation, turning it into an occasion to express affection for their loved ones.

If the gifts and actions exchanged between couples truly capture the spirit of Valentine’s Day, they can help strengthen the bond between the giver and receiver.

However, some may choose to turn this intimate, meaningful holiday into an opportunity to boast about their relationships or flaunt their wealth and extravagance.

While it’s true that society is made up of many different classes, ages, and economic backgrounds, with varied lifestyles and personalities, how can we be sure that a man who gives his girlfriend an expensive gift and writes countless flattering words on social media is truly more loving than the man who brings a simple gift—shy, yet filled with affection—in his eyes?

As for the women, don’t rush to measure a person’s feelings by the cost of their gifts. Ultimately, what is it that people truly long for in love? Expensive presents, or sincere affection?

Reality has always shown that price isn’t always what determines value.

Don’t wait for Valentine’s Day—show love every day.

History has shown that the simplest, most unpretentious love is often the deepest, the one that survives the test of time.

That love is when, on a cold winter day, you’re walking home from school, freezing, and he rides up on his bike to wrap his warm jacket around your shoulders, his eyes full of concern, asking why you’re dressed so lightly, warning that you’ll catch a cold. That love is when he rushes to help you with a heavy bag after you’ve been shopping. It’s when, after a long day in the kitchen, you find your husband silently handing you a cold glass of water, gently wiping the sweat from your tired face—now marked with wrinkles.

On Valentine’s evening, two lovers sit side by side, sharing a bowl of hot street food on a chilly sidewalk, laughing over silly stories while the cold air of late winter bites at their skin. Or perhaps they sip iced coffee together in a small café, enjoying each other’s company while the sweltering heat of Saigon surrounds them.

Love isn’t just about being there for each other during life’s mundane or busy moments; it’s about being there during the happiest times or the hardest, wanting to share everything with that person. It’s not loud or flashy; each day, they quietly do little things to make the other happy, to ease their burdens.

The most beautiful love is like an unspoken melody...

Let Valentine’s Day be a moment to celebrate love—to love someone more than you love yourself. Life, with all its struggles, has made our love deeper, though perhaps faded a little over time.

Let it bring us closer...

Let us hold hands tighter, just one hand...

Nguyễn Thị Thu Hương

We've been together for how many years now, sharing countless moments, yet on every special occasion, we still find ourselves apart. Does it break your heart to see me this lonely?

Another Valentine’s Day has arrived, and my heart feels so lost amidst the overwhelming chaos of life. I only realize now that you’ve slipped away from me—not that I’ve lost you, but now that I want to hold on, I simply can’t. So this Valentine’s, I just need you here, please don’t be far from me.

Walking through the crowded streets, surrounded by dazzling lights and the beauty of the evening, I feel so utterly alone, my heart aching in ways I can’t describe. It feels like I’m lost, foolishly searching for something glittery to fill the emptiness within.

Valentine’s Day arrives, and suddenly, the world looks brighter, the weather warmer, and the breeze softer, like it’s all made for couples to share this special day. But here I am, a mere afterthought, like an imperfection in a painting, one that can’t easily be erased. I’ve become that lonely spot, unnoticed and forgotten.

Once again, Valentine’s comes and I’m apart from you…

Do you know how badly I ache inside? How many tears must I shed to fill the empty space in my heart? Only when you’re beside me does my heart feel at peace.

How many years have we been together, sharing so many moments, and yet on our special days, we remain apart? Can you see how much I need you?

Right now, I’m truly alone…

Everywhere I look, I see couples holding hands, embracing in the busy streets, while I stand by, helpless, tears streaming down my face without even realizing it.

You’re being cruel, do you know that?

Here I am, desperately searching for my own happiness, alone, when you’re supposed to be the one to share it with me. Why are you so far away? I’ve been lonely enough without you, but on a day like this, it’s unbearable.

Everywhere I go, I see happy couples enjoying this day, and while I’m glad for them, all I feel is emptiness.

I’ve found a quiet little place, a tea shop at the end of the street, hoping for some solitude, but even here, there are hands holding onto one another, just like I wish I could hold you. My loneliness only grows, the wound of “missing you” still unhealed.

I wonder, wherever you are, are you feeling just as lonely as I am? Why haven’t you called to check on me? You’re being so thoughtless. I’ve mustered all my courage to talk to you, but then I couldn’t, so I threw my phone aside and cried.

On Valentine’s, others have flowers and gifts… but all I need is your embrace. I don’t need extravagant gifts, because you and I understand each other better than anyone else.

Come back to me, just for tonight, just for this day, so I can know that you’re still here, still in my heart. Don’t leave now, because if you do, the love we have will slowly fade away.

Do you ever fear that this will happen?

I know you still love me, you’re waiting for me, but the distance between us is slowly extinguishing the flames of love that once burned bright. Can love ever stay as strong when it’s no longer full and whole?

Hải Văn

My love, another Valentine's Day has come, and here I am, still waiting for you. Twenty-eight springs have passed, and yet, I've never had a Valentine's Day that truly felt like one. I'm still alone, still lonely. But I'm not too sad about it; I still hold onto the hope that one day we might meet again in a place I never expected.

Do you believe that there is a kind of love that exists quietly, silently, without fanfare? I believe it exists, because I feel like I’m living it. Every day, I watch your footsteps from afar, following your life through your posts on social media, seeing the changes in you with every picture you share. I don’t need anything more than knowing you're in the same city, breathing the same air, living peacefully. That alone is enough for me.

I know you’re still alone, or maybe you have someone now but haven’t made it public. I wonder, after all this time, have you forgotten me? Forgotten the girl who loved you deeply, without holding anything back? The girl who was ready to face any challenge by your side, but in the end, you pushed her away. Why did you do that? Maybe our worlds are just too different. My world is full of dreams and romance, while yours is so grounded, so harsh. No matter how hard we tried, we couldn’t quite reach each other’s world. Meeting was fate, but staying together—maybe that required more effort than either of us gave. My mother always told me that love needs understanding to last, but we were too different to understand each other’s struggles. I never understood the pressures of your work, and you never understood my loneliness. There were times when I felt abandoned by you, left behind, while my sensitive heart made me angry and upset. You, on the other hand, felt tired, unheard, and unable to share your difficulties. And so, we drifted apart, growing farther and farther away, unable to express the unspoken things that divided us.

Do you know, there are days when I miss you so intensely that it hurts? I want to run to you, to feel your arms around me like we used to. Now, I realize that having a good memory can sometimes be a form of torture. It's been so long, yet I can’t forget you. I know that I can't stay lost in the past, but every time I think of our time together, I smile involuntarily. Thank you for giving me such beautiful memories. Whether you remember or have forgotten doesn’t matter anymore. What matters is that I will always remember that in my youth, I loved you with all my heart, with complete sincerity.

You know, I’m a dreamer, and so I still believe in the miracles that might happen in this world, despite all its harsh realities. I still believe that somewhere, somehow, a miracle will happen—maybe in a moment when I least expect it. You probably think I'm foolish, don’t you? But I believe that living with hope, with dreams, and with expectations is truly wonderful. Even if sometimes it costs us disappointment, heartache, and loss, we all have the right to choose how we live. And I choose to live with hope, to dream and wish for something beautiful, even if it's a bit uncertain.

Do you know what I dream of? I dream of a day when we meet again in this bustling city full of people. We will recognize each other in the crowd, share a smile, and walk hand in hand in the same direction. If I can’t forget you and you can’t forget me, then why can’t we find a way back to each other? But right now, I just want to know: Do you still remember me?

Trúc Xanh