love.

I was thinking of writing a few thoughts on love as sort of a post-Valentine's Day wrap up but admittedly got a bit self conscious at the idea of speaking on such a personal topic.  I mean really, what the heck do I know about love?  And why would anyone give a crap about what I think of it?

Then the Universe sent me a tiny bit of encouragement.  I started to re-read Women Food and God this weekend and was struck by how much the following sentiment resonated with me and my own personal beliefs;

"And I believe in love.  And beauty.  I believe that every single person has something they find beautiful and that they truly love.  The smell of their child's hair, the silence of a forest, their lover's crooked grin.  Their country, their religion, their family.  And I believe that if you follow this love all the way to its end, if you start with the thing you find most beautiful and trace its perfume back to its essence, you will perceive an intangible presence, a swath of stillness that allows the thing you love to be visible like the openness of the sky reveals the presence of the moon."

So I guess a mere twenty-six years of life has actually taught me a thing or two about love (the first one being that I have so much more to learn).  And you've already read this much of my blog....so.... :)

I know that love truly is the only rational act. There are very few regrets in life that stem from an act of pure love.  For me, this includes "regrets" dealing with a broken heart.  Time is the great equalizer and although it's the one thing you can't rush, eventually a broken heart can become stronger than it was prior to the aching if you are willing and able to be open to love again (and not necessarily in the romantic sense). The best place to start is with yourself.  I know this may sound selfish and hokie, but I believe with every bone in my body this is true.  Loving yourself, flaws and all, will make you a better person, friend, partner.  Loving yourself will give you the capacity to love the whole world.

I also know that acts of love are recognized and perceived differently from person to person, so it's important to know what love language you speak as well as the language of your partner, family and friends. A great read on this theory is The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman. Filling the old love tank, yours and others, is so much easier when you know the right language.

I know the importance of continuing to open your heart wider and wider; of taking risks and being vulnerable.  Putting up walls blocks out so much joy and will get you nothing but a sense of lacking, longing or missing.

I know forgiveness is one of the greatest and most powerful aspects of love.  It's also quite possibly the most difficult to perform and accept...especially when it comes to forgiving ourselves.  We are all doing the best we can with what we know. There is no need to punish ourselves for the same mistake over and over (because as humans we love to do this).  Why not forgive and let go and see what happens?  Move forward, be bold, grow and make changes to better yourself.

There is no script to life.  Only love, in it's many many forms, will get you to a happy ending.

I know that it feels really amazing and makes a big difference in life to actively express love and gratitude (because I think they go perfectly hand in hand) on a daily basis.  Telling my friends and family how much they mean to me, how I value them or how thankful I am was actually a bit of an awkward hurdle to get over.  Mushy-gushy emotions have that affect sometimes, but since I've given myself permission to be mushy gushy at random times I feel more connected to the people in my life than ever before.

And I know that kindness is love.

What are your thoughts on love?

I hope you all were feeling the love yesterday and every day. Get stoked to spread it around :)

Love and light,

Trish