IT'S A LOVE THING

It’s hard to believe that it’s already February.  February happens to be one of my favorite months of the year.  It could be because it’s my birth month, or because it’s the shortest month of the year.  It could be because of Valentine's Day.  Maybe it’s a combination of the three.  When I think of February, I think of love. 

What does love mean to you?  The first thing that comes to mind is a scripture from the bible; ‘For God loved the world so much that he sent us his only son…’ I’m paraphrasing just a bit, but I think you get the meaning.  Some of you even know this scripture or have at least heard it before.  To think of sending away your only child for the sake of others, now that’s what I call love.  I have an only child.  Only, she’s not a child anymore.  She’s 20 years old.  However, with the exception of my husband, I can’t think of a single person I love more.  I used to tell her when she was just a little girl that I loved her so much that I would give my life for hers, if it were ever necessary.  She would always look deep into my eyes when I would tell her that. Then a little smile would appear on her face.  She knew that I meant those words and I knew she took comfort in them.

It’s so important to show and tell the people we care about, how much we love them.  I don’t think anyone gets tired of hearing another person utter the words, “I love you”.  However, saying, “I love you,” doesn’t come easy for everyone.  Sometimes people show love in the things that they do.  As a child, I don’t recall hearing those words spoken by my parents very often.  I think they grew up not hearing those words uttered to them and, in turn, it was that much more difficult to utter them to their children.  However, I’ve always been of the opinion that just because that’s where you come from, it doesn’t mean that’s where you have to stay.  So, I made a conscious decision that when I had children I would not only show them, I would tell them and tell them often.  Don’t misunderstand, I knew my parents loved me because of all the things that they did for my siblings and I.  They showed us love through their work ethic and by providing us with a better life than the one they had.  They showed their love by always giving us their time and attention.  I always felt their love as a child, even though it wasn’t expressed verbally.  Those various “acts” of love also count.  This leads me to my question.  How do YOU express love to the people around you?  How do YOU show love to the people you see each day?  I'm referring to family members, children, friends, colleagues, neighbors and others.  Do you show love in your deeds and actions?  Perhaps we need to expand our circles of love and extend them to encompass more people.  I’m going to expand my love circle to my colleagues this week.  Perhaps they will notice, perhaps not.  It really doesn’t matter because my gift will be the love that comes back to me.  You get what you give, right?

Thanks for stopping by.  Don’t forget to show or tell someone that you love them today or during the week.  Prepare for the love that’s coming back your way and look for it to come in different ways.