Valentine's Day is about celebrating LOVE in all its forms, and the people who hate it probably can't get past the lonely hearts aspect and the commercialism. I woke up this morning with my little boys in my bed, and when the puppy joined us it felt like the beginning of the best Valentine's Day of my life. Today is not going to be about waiting for red roses from a guy (been there, done that, over it!) I set an intention this morning to embrace and experience love under every guise today. Read that sentence again... NOT love under every guy, although it does sound that way. I love bad puns.
One great thing about having preschoolers is that they can miss school on a whim; SO, I kept them home today and made Valentine confetti pancakes for them. My Mom was sweet enough to send the mix for the pancakes along with a bunch of other thoughtful Valentine's gifts. We are having nothing but fun today. What can be better than a holiday dedicated to love? We will make our own Valentine's cards, have a Valentine's lunch, and I will worship God in a yoga class with a group of loving people.
I will listen to love songs all day today. It started this morning with the Pandora love song station. We sang along and did interpretive dance moves to Truly, Madly, Deeply. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQnAxOQxQIU&ob=av2e
I love the scenes of Paris in this video! Bring the Schmaltz! J'adore.
Today, I am thinking especially of a man in my church who lost his wife a week ago, and I am thinking this must be the most difficult Valentine's Day he will ever spend. While it is sad, it is also inspiring to know that because of the love he shared with his wife, they were able to spend nearly 50 years together and create a beautiful family and a treasure trove of happy memories. I saw him at the grocery store yesterday, which is funny, because I was there to buy ingredients for a casserole. I asked him, "Hey, since it's the done thing, do you want a casserole from me?" I am glad I asked because he said he has absolutely no more room for anymore casseroles. I saw his dog and he admitted that the dog is very sad, looking constantly for her doggy Mommy who is gone now.
Thinking of this couple, recently separated by death, is also making me think about both sets of my grandparents and the strong love they shared. My parents have both been divorced multiple times and I am in a second marriage. My grandparents were in a generation that did not divorce. My Dad's parents almost divorced once, but my grandmother's love for my grandfather was bigger than any obstacle thrown across its path. He left her for another woman at one point in their marriage, and she took him back. After he died, I remember her crying every time she said his name. She loved him passionately, selflessly, and relentlessly. Like the couple from my church, they created a large and loving family with many grandchildren (and great-grandchildren) from the seed of their love for each other, and their love for Christ (my grandmother was more devoted to her Christian faith than any person I have ever known).
My mother's parents shared a different kind of love, but it was strong nonetheless. I do remember them fighting, because they both had tempers and they prized independence. They learned to be adventurous together, rather than separately. They loved nothing more than having a good time; I will never forget their parties and their friend's parties, and the times they gave me alcohol starting at age 5. I loved sipping my grandad's vodka tonics. I loved watching them dance. When my grandmother was dying in the hospital, her best friend brought my grandfather a martini in the waiting room. She carried the martini there in a Ball jar, with several olives in it. Here is something that is a real testament to love: after my grandmother died, her best friend married my grandfather! They had practically grown up together. They had both lost a spouse. Because they believed in love and did not want to spend the rest of their lives alone, they got married in their 80's! Now that is a Valentine's story! They loved love, they had loved my grandmother, and after her death they translated that love for her into love for one another.
Love is not always expressed in the forming of romantic relationships or in marriage. Many of my friends are single. Their lives are as much a testament to love as my grandparents' lives were. My friends who are single moms love their children with great devotion and pour love into their work and their communities. They love themselves, as well. One of my male single friends said to me once, "when you completely love and accept yourself, love will appear in the form of another," and now that has happened for him. He is madly in love with a beautiful woman. Following a divorce, he really did learn to love himself and his son unconditionally, and he started teaching others how to love themselves. Had he never met this woman, he would still be happy, because as a single person, he found the true secret to happiness: love.
Today and everyday I am going to allow myself to experience and express love to every person I meet, as if they were my Valentine. A fellow seminary student wrote something for our study group last week that exemplifies this kind of universal love.
One great thing about having preschoolers is that they can miss school on a whim; SO, I kept them home today and made Valentine confetti pancakes for them. My Mom was sweet enough to send the mix for the pancakes along with a bunch of other thoughtful Valentine's gifts. We are having nothing but fun today. What can be better than a holiday dedicated to love? We will make our own Valentine's cards, have a Valentine's lunch, and I will worship God in a yoga class with a group of loving people.
I will listen to love songs all day today. It started this morning with the Pandora love song station. We sang along and did interpretive dance moves to Truly, Madly, Deeply. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQnAxOQxQIU&ob=av2e
I love the scenes of Paris in this video! Bring the Schmaltz! J'adore.
Today, I am thinking especially of a man in my church who lost his wife a week ago, and I am thinking this must be the most difficult Valentine's Day he will ever spend. While it is sad, it is also inspiring to know that because of the love he shared with his wife, they were able to spend nearly 50 years together and create a beautiful family and a treasure trove of happy memories. I saw him at the grocery store yesterday, which is funny, because I was there to buy ingredients for a casserole. I asked him, "Hey, since it's the done thing, do you want a casserole from me?" I am glad I asked because he said he has absolutely no more room for anymore casseroles. I saw his dog and he admitted that the dog is very sad, looking constantly for her doggy Mommy who is gone now.
Thinking of this couple, recently separated by death, is also making me think about both sets of my grandparents and the strong love they shared. My parents have both been divorced multiple times and I am in a second marriage. My grandparents were in a generation that did not divorce. My Dad's parents almost divorced once, but my grandmother's love for my grandfather was bigger than any obstacle thrown across its path. He left her for another woman at one point in their marriage, and she took him back. After he died, I remember her crying every time she said his name. She loved him passionately, selflessly, and relentlessly. Like the couple from my church, they created a large and loving family with many grandchildren (and great-grandchildren) from the seed of their love for each other, and their love for Christ (my grandmother was more devoted to her Christian faith than any person I have ever known).
My mother's parents shared a different kind of love, but it was strong nonetheless. I do remember them fighting, because they both had tempers and they prized independence. They learned to be adventurous together, rather than separately. They loved nothing more than having a good time; I will never forget their parties and their friend's parties, and the times they gave me alcohol starting at age 5. I loved sipping my grandad's vodka tonics. I loved watching them dance. When my grandmother was dying in the hospital, her best friend brought my grandfather a martini in the waiting room. She carried the martini there in a Ball jar, with several olives in it. Here is something that is a real testament to love: after my grandmother died, her best friend married my grandfather! They had practically grown up together. They had both lost a spouse. Because they believed in love and did not want to spend the rest of their lives alone, they got married in their 80's! Now that is a Valentine's story! They loved love, they had loved my grandmother, and after her death they translated that love for her into love for one another.
Love is not always expressed in the forming of romantic relationships or in marriage. Many of my friends are single. Their lives are as much a testament to love as my grandparents' lives were. My friends who are single moms love their children with great devotion and pour love into their work and their communities. They love themselves, as well. One of my male single friends said to me once, "when you completely love and accept yourself, love will appear in the form of another," and now that has happened for him. He is madly in love with a beautiful woman. Following a divorce, he really did learn to love himself and his son unconditionally, and he started teaching others how to love themselves. Had he never met this woman, he would still be happy, because as a single person, he found the true secret to happiness: love.
Today and everyday I am going to allow myself to experience and express love to every person I meet, as if they were my Valentine. A fellow seminary student wrote something for our study group last week that exemplifies this kind of universal love.
SOULFUL LOVE (Suze Robinson)
In my mind, I have come to realize that we’re transcending beyond our physical bodies into a heavenly realm. The deeply spiritual connection I feel with each of you that allows our hearts to connect, and at a much deeper level, our souls, extends far beyond the earthly plane. Each of you is the gentlest, loveliest Spirit Angel of all. Your love has enabled my soul to evolve in ways I never imagined.
Regardless of whatever I have encountered in this lifetime, I always knew I had not only the love of the Divine Mother, but the blessings of my spirit guides, ancestors, and angels. Now I carry the love of my spirit sisters and brothers, here on earth, with me as well. I thank you for being such an integral part of my life!
We were chosen to meet and I am eternally grateful for that gift. Now I’m taking that gift of your love; opening my heart wide open; learning to move forward with no expectations except to love, love, love everyone who I meet. Along the way exceptional people like you are crossing my path. Our love for one another is exploding, not in the physical or sexual way that we, as humans, are used to expressing such emotions, but on a deeply personal, telepathic, soulful way that needs no words to acknowledge its presence.
Its beauty is so powerful that we acknowledge it through singing, playfulness, dancing, prayer, reverence, and gratitude. Others will be attracted to each of us because of this beautiful light. May we bless them, hug them and love them with our eyes and our smiles. May we send our love so deeply into them that they can see themselves, love themselves, and love the Divine that resides within each of them. Then may we move onto the next person whose path we cross and shower them with love as well. As they feel the love and return it, in kind, they will awaken. Their fears will start to subside; and they, too, will begin to love unconditionally, as they thank our co-creators. Before we know it we will begin to transform and transcend beyond human form to our true spiritual essence.
As we move forward may our hearts overflow with love, gratitude and joy knowing that we are always holding one another in an orb of pure bliss. And so it is.
Can I just 'like' this? Like Like Like.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to my mutual admiration society!! Hugs all around, come on in.
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