Pre-Valentine's Day musings

Dear friends,

Happy Valentine's month! 

Since the start of February, I've been asked several times whether or not I love Valentine's Day. I often answer that I do love Valentine's day - and the rest of February. In fact, I love LOVE!

I think I make most people cringe whenever I say that. I sound like such a love struck young lady, and I'd like to think that I AM a romantic. Probably quite love struck, too! I'm proud of it!

Those who know me would probably agree in a heartbeat. I (heart) romance from the tips of my toes to the roots of my hair, I feel giddy at the idea of romance, and blah blah blah. I also love LOVE songs, and get touched by the lyrics as though I've experienced what the singers are crying about.

Have you gone off and puked yet? No? Okay, congratulations for lasting this long. I thought I drove you off with my gushing about love and love... and love.

You may think now that a girl *ehem* in her late-twenties who is THAT love-struck would have normally enjoyed Valentine's Day on a yearly basis. Au contraire, you are reading a girl who has not once experienced what it feels to be wooed and courted during Valentine's Day. Yep. Never had roses, flowers, chocolates, candy hearts, heart cards, or gifts during Valentine's Day. No mix tapes, too! No secret admirers, not a single thing. With all that experience, you'd think I'd loathe Valentine's Day by now, but fortunately, I still do not hate it. I still love it!

Ah, but they say marriage ruins love. I guess, for some, it does. I will not preach or talk about how to survive marriage, the wonders of marriage, or whatever. Nope. I know marriage can go wrong. I am a product of a broken home, and I have been surrounded by families that have been broken because of one reason or another. But I still believe in LOVE.

And not just the erotic kind *wink*. Its also not just the love between couples. Its love. Its love for everyone and everything.

"Love, love, love, lala love, lala love makes the world go round!" ~ Power Puff Girls

I guess we should celebrate LOVE always, all the time, because when we do things out of love, we just add a little something special to it. But that's just me. I think that we often have little room for regrets and bad vibes if we learn to do things out of love not because we have been forced to do it. 

What I've learned over the past few days regarding love is that it is all around. Not just something for the romance books, or something between couples. It is that time when you helped out a friend because you wanted to. Or hugged a baby simply because. It's that time when you told your friend you loved him or her, not because you are attracted to that person, but simply because you do.

...

I seem to have lost my train of thought here. Some interruptions and stuff. I shall leave you with these words from a favorite book of mine:

"The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in." (Mitch Albom, Tuesday's With Morrie)

Enjoy life with love.

P.S. You know what makes me giddy even if I am not showered with flowers and chocolates on Valentine's Day? Its these moments when the husband gets all mushy and does this:

^_^