“All you need is LOVE”
The Beatles
We know it to be true, and yet it seems to be one of the hardest things for us to sustain.
That is one thing that bothers me about this holiday. Why is it that we are so conscious of giving and receiving love, being loving and demonstrating that love on this one day? What about the rest of the year?
And, I don’t mean the mushy kind of love that is so often associated with Valentine’s Day. The love that I speak of is of a different nature. It has a soul to it, with a depth and fortitude that can withstand so much sorrow, transgressions and challenges. It is deep, enduring and forgiving, masterful and wise, and guess what? It all starts with YOU.
It sounds trite, I know, but I believe it really is true. In order to love, one has to start with loving him/herself. How tragic that someone like Whitney Houston did not love herself! Here was someone who had so much talent and beauty, but had so much emptiness inside.
No matter what goes on with the outside, feeling loved and loving; being supported and showing support is at the heart of it all, but ALL of the time – not just here and there – or when it is convenient or expected.
So, let’s take the message of this Valentine’s Day to the rest of the year and beyond – to be there for one another; to embrace our human experience with kindness, compassion and love, and, in the words of one of my favorite poems, Desiderata, “Be Yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love for in the face of aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass”.
Take a look at this montage of The Beatles, as they sing their famous song, and remind us what is really important…
All You Need Is Love
A photo montage of The Beatles set to the Magical Mystery Tour song “All You Need Is Love”
I send you my love,
Ingrid