Good Morning,
On my walk I sometimes listen to our church service live on Sunday Mornings. I put the phone in my pocket and walk along. This morning when I put the phone in my pocket, Will the minister said, Hello Deanne, Happy Valentines Day. I was slightly bewildered. I took my phone out of my pocket and saw that in the act of putting my phone in my pocket I sent Will a little red heart. Several weeks ago I accidentally sent praying hands three times during this service. From now on I will carry my phone.
I am not the most likely person to send a heart emoji even Valentines day.
Still that little accidental heart reminded me that today is about love. Since I stopped thinking about Valentines as a romantic celebration, and more as a love your neighbor kind of thing, I have come to enjoy it quite a bit. Remember the pleasure of receiving valentines as a child at school? I give a valentine to anyone I feel like, sometimes even accidentally.
When I started seeing it this way I saw how really it is just a day for kindness set in the coldest month of the year. A day to consider and appreciate the sweetness around you.
Love is such a beautiful complicated thing. It isn't simple and it isn't always easy. But if we are lucky it's always there. The interesting thing about it, is that to really receive it, and understand it, you have to give it. In reaching out to others in kindness, somehow we become better ourselves.
My friend once said to me, "It is one thing to love someone but it is another thing altogether to be loved." To receive love, even in the simplest of forms, is a message to you that you are here and you are good. We can never tell people often enough about their goodness.
Love is not about even trades. Sometimes you wonder if in fact it is doing any good at all.
We have all been on the irritating end of love. The love that nags or bothers. I myself have initiated this love time and time again.
Sometimes love must bear the burdens of sadness and loss. This is too hard to talk about today but we know it.
Love, in it's simplest form is the gift of bread to neighbors. It is hello to a lonely face on the street. It is dropping a few dollars in a coffee cup without wondering if you are doing any good,. It is about suspending judgement and passing on what you have.
When I was twenty I was with my Uncle Donald in Brooklyn, NY. There were people asking for money on every corner. I had not seen this before. I said what do you do? He said, " Whadda ya mean? You got a quarter in your pocket, give it to em, for #@% sakes."
That was love.
There was love in the giving and love in the teaching, though my uncle would never have recognized that.
And that's the way with love. We can give it without knowing just by doing what we can. Just by being ourselves.
Happy Valentines Day... I hope you like this day too.
Deanne
PS.Last Day!Today is the last day to receive oatcakes with your shipped order.
PPS.Last Day ! That you can purchase the course only for just $99 until Feb 15.
