(via emilywalks)
I’ve had my share of mopey Valentine’s, bemoaning a bad relationship or wishing I had a good one. This year I’ll celebrate with a homemade dinner with my boyfriend (he’s cooking, yay). But I spent the first part of the day volunteering in an office that helps people apply for temporary restraining orders. It’s always a sobering reality check to get out of my academic bubble and work with people facing awful situations, and especially today, it kind of puts things in perspective. It’s valid to feel lonely when you’re single or in an unhappy relationship, and to be lovesick and mushy too. But it’s also good to remember the wider world and deeper issues so many are facing. So spare a thought, and, if you can, a few dollars, for the many people whose priority today is keeping themselves (and often their children) safe from someone who has hurt or threatened them.
A few organizations that could use help:
