Just Love
Dear Valentines,
When you boil it down, love is the heart of the matter, any matter; all matter.
I’m a love bunny. I’m a lover. I love all things about love- I’m a lover of love. I’m one of love’s biggest fans, groupies, cheerleaders, and soapbox contenders. I’ll debate all you cynics until you’re begging me for a hug, or at least grimace my direction with a sly smile. You cannot win! Love is too good. I feel I got lucky carrying a patent of love long before I came to this planet. That’s how much I’m in tune with loving love.
Those who know me well are used to my terms of loving endearment. They roll off my tongue, typically before I’m super conscious of exactly which one I might be using, or that I’m using them at all: honey, sweetie, sweetness, sweet, darling, beauty, cutie, hottie, handsome, love, etc. They’re all used sincerely, playfully, lovingly. Many are used with either gender and transgender, I dote on. It might also be useful I remind I was raised in the southern USA, which I think created this for me. (Although, at least two southern women close to me don’t speak this way: my sister and one of my best friends. Oh well!) I don’t expect everyone to dig my lexicon. I only seek respect that I can be the bubbly loving me when I’m in that groove.
There’s a glory in the ease of love. True love doesn’t have massive rules, requirements, hurdles, burdens, deadlines, labels or the like. Love offers the unconditionality of boundless opportunity for happiness. Love is all about giving, sharing, connecting, appreciating, tending to, opening up with, delighting in, journeying, experiencing, being hopeful, truth, authenticity, and all those sorts of yumminess.
I bounced all over searching for what I wanted to say today. This started with a list of two series I started journaling ages ago. The first is a list of couples that I know personally that inspire me because of their love. I decided I’ll keep this list personal for now, but feel free to ask me if you see me in person and I’ll regale you with a few and why if you care to know. The second is a list I’ve saved of some of my most admired characters from films, tv, and animation. I’ve included this at the end of this love letter if for nothing more than amusement. It certainly shows off my romantic/comedy side. Love strangers. I’ve had two customer services calls today where I began by wishing the support person a very happy Valentine’s Day. They were unexpectedly satisfied, which I think supported my good calls results.
Mostly, love yourself. Today that started with me writing down my notes from dreaming last night’s sleep (something I’ve been trying to remember to do daily for a few months now). Then I masturbated. Yep. I said it. And I do it a lot. It’s one of the most uncomplicated forms of self-love I know. Frankly, it helps me smile, gives me energy, reminds me why I love being in love, with a partner who can share it with me and what else I like to do with a partner when I have one to share with me. All that and much more. It’s only one expression of loving myself, but I have nothing to hide and I don’t think you should either. Whatever works for you, the more you get yourself in loving order, the better you are for all the little and big things, the things outside of yourself in all forms that will come your way. It’s no trick. Just truth.
Just love is all.
- Love the little things. Today was full of little bits of blue sky, so many flowers, houses decorated with hearts and Valentine’s banners, a random pink painted rock on the sidewalk that said “Ur Sweet”, adoring texts from family and friends.
- Love the big things. Today I shared a call with a dear girlfriend in Northern Ireland because the big world of technology allows us to speak over wifi for free. She reminded me how to turn a negative into a positive. I was voicing a defiance I was having with myself about all the things I knew I didn’t want while having a tough time getting to the heart of what I did want. She quickly pointed out that my awareness of what doesn’t work for me is exactly a positive, as it’s keeping me from things that don’t serve me. Now, that’s a super big thing for me!
- Love people. The ones you know and those you don’t. Giving some love in the way of a smile, help, a hand, again with the hugs (I can’t get enough of hugs). Some of the best moments I’ve had are hugging homeless people, helping someone in a third world country randomly on the street, or paying visits to all the people and establishments I knew way back when if I’m in my hometown.
- Love pets. This is an easy source of love with most animals. They just drink up love astonishingly.
- Love nature. Hugs trees. Stop and smell the roses and the rosemary, the lavender and all flowers and foliage between. Touch things. Get dirty. Play in the grass or sand or mud with your bare feet.
- Love creating. Wherever you work and whatever you do in a day, you’re creating something. A business, a company, an app, a production, a song, a meal, a child, a relationship, a solution.
My main point is to just love. Start small if you’re in a tough place. This is all about kindness to self too. Go big if you’ve got room to love loud. Take your love to your community, your country, our world, if and when you’re able. Love the roof over your head and how it got there (the people and companies that made all the things that made the things your home is built from and the things you have in it; down to the teeny tiny parts too). Love the people that motivate you and have your back. And truly love the ones that love you. Let them know. Show them. We’re going to oscillate back and forth and all over with our capacity for love all the time. That’s fair. Just don’t give up on love.
It’s about going all out for what love means to you. Also, it’s going all in with simplicity. Now, lest you think I’m all sunshine, roses, and softness, allow me to affirm there are definite ulterior aspects to love. Great love will stretch you, test you, supply challenges, and generally provide room for your improvement. That’s life! Lately, I’m needing to remind myself of both sides of this love coin multiple times a day. Just a case of this time in my life. It’s the splendor that keeps me going. The world’s greatest love stories are a heap of such powerful goodness. One of the absolute revered couples I herald as a reference for this love day is Bogie and Bacall.
So, please, just love. Thank you. I love you.
Yours in love,
A Romantic
P.s. Happiest heart day all you LOVEly hooligans! 💗
Excerpt from a series I started long ago:
I love you like…
Allie and Noah, The Notebook
Anastasia and Christian, Fifty Shades series
Baby and Johnny, Dirty Dancing
Bella and Edward, Twilight series
Belle and the Beast
Calvin and Hobbes
Elizabeth and David, Just Like Heaven
Holly and Paul, Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Jennie and Eben, A Portrait of Jennie
Jessica and Roger Rabbit
Joanie and Chachi
Lisa and Lewis, Bed of Roses
Liz and Felipe, Eat, Pray, Love
Melanie and Jake, Sweet Home Alabama
Minnie and Mickey Mouse
Molly and Sam, Ghost
Mowgli and Baloo, The Jungle Book
Penelope Pussycat and Pepé Le Pew
Petunia and Porky Pig
Piglet and Winnie the Pooh
Princess Lili and Jack, Legend
Romeo and Juliet
Rose and Jack, Titanic
Sandy and Danny, Grease
Tarzan and Jane
Trixie and Speed Racer
Vivian and Edward, Pretty Woman
