The Chinese/Vietnamese/Korean/Tibetan Lunar New Year falls on Valentine’s Day this year. For many of us who were planning something romantic for that special someone, negotiations are currently underway with Mom and Pops to balance (sometimes) conflicting obligations. For those of us who find ourselves single, how wonderful it is to have something greater to celebrate than hyper-awareness of singlehood!

I usually go to temple the night before to welcome the New Year at midnight sharp. Typically, this is followed by a vegetarian meal with family and friends. The next day, I get dragged along to go temple hopping, making offerings for good merit—a “traditional” routine that I honestly believe is just another excuse to spend time with family and meet old friends. A good excuse, in my opinion.

This morning I was also reminded that for about 150 million migrant workers, this holiday marks the year’s most important (if not only) trip home. May we all have the goodness of heart, word and action to cultivate a positive destiny for ourselves.

What does this have to do with Buddhism? Who knows!