love, amor, liefde, amour, liebe, miłość, amore, kärlek, aşk

Who says you have to have a significant other to be in love? Yesterday, I called my parents both to tell them how much I love them. And I text messaged my two best friends to let them know I was celebrating my love for them too. I love love. All the time, even when it's not directed at one specific person or thing. I appreciate that even though Valentine's Day has become somewhat of a pressure-filled "Hallmark Holiday," that there is a day out there to honor something that truly does make the world go round; what some people believe to be the sole purpose in life.

I went and saw the movie Valentine's Day. I loved it. It was the typical romantic comedy-everyone ends up happy-kind of story, but that's exactly what I wanted to happen. It's not as romantic or comedic when the characters end up miserable at the end.

All endings are happy endings.

If you even believe in endings.

It's just a matter of staying with the story long enough.

I love a lot of things...and people. I tell my friends and family I love them. I even tell my car I love it. Recently, we got a plant that I have named Rufus. I love that plant too. I've even gotten back into loving running, and the way it makes me feel. I'm now comfortable when I'm running, rather than huffing and puffing every forced step of the way. Now, although the longer take up a few hours of my day, I know that I will be able to do it I LOVE that feeling!!!

Perspectivus for the rest of us.

Do you ever get tired of hearing yourself complain? I realized that about myself lately. I felt like every stinkin' word coming out of my mouth was about how I was dissatisfied with my job and amount of hours I've been working, my (lack of) relationships with people who surround me, my overall appearance...pretty much anything I could complain about, I found a reason to vocalize. But really, there's no reason for this. I'm tired of whining.

I started reading "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance," and although I'm not even 20 pages into it, it's already helped give me a different perspective. One of the characters shares with the others that she is sad for the drivers she sees coming their way on the road.

"The first one looked so sad. And then the next one looked exactly the same way, and then the next one and the next one, they were all the same."
"They were just commuting to work."
...
"It's just that they looked so lost...like they were all dead. Like a funeral procession."

Oh my gosh - what a revelation! I know I look like that on my way to work. But I'm sure it doesn't phase other people on the same commute, as they look the exact same way. Today I made a point to enjoy my drive. I sang along with the songs, and grooved in the driver's seat. I hope others noticed.

I was also fortunate enough to spend the weekend with an extremely positive person. Lindsay used to express to me how inspiring and uplifting she thought I was. Do you ever notice that when you're not around people who inspire and uplift you, you're incapable of doing so for others? Well, I am thankful that she was around me for several days because it kind of brought me back to life. I noticed myself almost resisting it at first. Umm.....why would I do that?! Probably because I'd been so set in my whiny-ness that it was a bit of a difficult journey getting back to a normal state of consciousness - which, by the way, was realized through altered states of consciousness on Friday night :). A few bottles of wine and a game of Things later, I can't remember the last time I've laughed that hard. Belly chuckles are my favorite.

Just a few pictures from a fun filled, white-specked, frigid, and overall marvelous weekend, courtesy of my dear friend:




...it's our God-intended right to be loved, love-love-love, loved.

My perspective is changing. It's changing my world.