“We loved with a love that was more than love” – Edgar Allan Poe
Love seems appropriate this time of year. The confusion of love, the wonder of love, is it the right kind of love, am I getting enough love, or better yet am I giving enough love?
I am blessed to have incredible friends in my circle, one of my most respectable friends used to tell me that Love is the meaning of life. Although I looked up to him, I took what he said with a grain of salt. As I have grown older, I realize it is not just the romantic love he was speaking of. There is: the love I have for my family, the love I have for my friends, the love for the beauty of nature, of art and the ingenuity of man. As I grow into a more loving adult I become a better person. I can love people through their faults today. I can love the seemingly unlovable.
Today I believe that love is part of the meaning of life: To love and be loved, to build relationships and nurture them, to be a friend, a brother, a son or a daughter, sister, a parent, a teacher, a mentor, or just a good listener to lend an ear. If we share our knowledge and our compassion with others we will receive it in places we never expected.
Affirmation: Love is all there is. I love me, others and life with all my heart.
Call to Action: Find a spot in your life that you may not be showing love and see how love can transform your perception of that person, place or thing.
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Change Your Life Friday 
‘Loved’ it. My challenge is with animals. I can love my friends, my family (most of them), nature and many other things. I just don’t get it when people treat their animals as if they were their children or they expect me to love their animals as much as they do. I have a granddaughter that loves animals (perhaps more than she loves people) and I recognize her gift. This week, I will step up and make a conscious effort to embrace all living creatures.
RecognizeTheLesson,
We are all one on this great planet. People, animals and Plants. Thank you for your continued love here at CYLFriday.
-Change Your Life Friday
As I grow older, authentic love has become more accessible to me. BUT I still struggle with that loving,accepting feeling for those whose ideas may not agree with mine. This week I will open my heart to love those whose perceptions of life may differ from mine….
TCV,
Thank you for the continued support and love! We love you.
-Change Your Life Friday
I love Fridays #cylf #boom
d,
I love you! Boom!
-Change Your Life Friday
Love has come up in my life so many times this week.. I learned I need to love myself before I can fully love anyone else.. So that will be my challenge this week..
Love you guys and love Marco
Rae,
Self love is very important. Thank you for reminding us all of that.
-Change Your Life Friday
An area that I don’t show enough love is the realm of religion. There’s some great literature out there that advises me to see where religious people are right, that they are onto something. The first time I was ever taken to a Sunday service was in high school. So needless to say, I grew up without a solid foundation of religion. Which is okay, because I have essentially a clean slate from which to start. God was very much loved in our home, we just never went anywhere as a family to celebrate Him and be a part of a fellowship. I am beyond grateful for the journey that I am on today because I now know God in my whole heart. I now know that there are various ways and places to go to to celebrate that. Now that football is over, I suppose it would be a good time to go explore some different churches. If I let God guide me, He will put me where I need to be:)
Megs,
What a great insight about loving all religions and looking for where they are right. Football season is over and our Sundays are now free to explore the many churches and fellowships that meet on Sunday. Have fun and let your heart guide you.
-Change Your Life Friday
Rumi wrote:
“Your task is not to seek for love,
your task is merely to seek
and find all the barriers that you have build against it.”
May be it is true that for some of us, at some point in our lives we unwittingly begin to build up barricades in response to being hurt, rejected or excluded. These subconscious barriers can unknowingly become a part of us over time, taking root in our hearts and minds while we are sleeping. Awake we are unaware of what is blocking us from giving and receiving love.
I think with out reaching out for help, we may never discover their presence and subsequently they stay in place taking root, and quite possibly hold us back from letting the fullness of love into our lives.
In “The Journey Starts Here,” Rumi says, “Don’t look for the remedy for your troubles outside yourself. You are the medicine. You are the cure for your own sorrows.”
Today I will take action to deconstruct my barriers.
Marco you are in our Prayers…
MPB,
Thank you for these quotes from Rumi. I love reading what Rumi has to offer about the world and universe. We love you MPB and thank you for your support and frequent comments.
-Change Your Life Friday
I love my friends and family so much that I can’t stop telling them just how much I love them, but yet, I tend to shy away from physical affection. When I realized I did this, I thought it was whack. Clearly, I love these people, so what’s my deal? Honestly, I think it might be an only child thing. But regardless, I love these people and they love me, so I should let them show me that they love me and I need to show them. I think part of fully loving yourself is allowing yourself to feel love from others non-verbally. And I think part of nurturing the love you feel for others is to express it non-verbally. It’s definitely something I’ve been focusing more on these days. Great post! 🙂
Sara,
Thank you for opening up and letting us see where you can grow in love. Many hugs filled with love sent your way.
-Change Your Life Friday