How to Love

What is loving others all about, anyway and how do we do it effectively? The older I get, the more I understand that I need to learn how to love other people better and differently. Loving ourselves comes easily,for most of us, doesn't it? But when it comes to loving others now that is quite a different story. It is not something that comes naturally to most. Although I consider myself a very loving person, as most of us probably do, I am realizing that there is still much room for improvement.

One of the main characteristics of love, I think, is the ability to give; to give of one's self, one's time, one's energy, and one's resources; to give without expectation of something given back in return. Giving is love in action. A good test of how loving we are is how easy is it for us to give.

Valentine's Day has just passed and for me it was an opportunity to think of a creative way to bring a smile to someone's face. Over the years I have baked cookies and distributed them to my neighbors' doorsteps, nicely wrapped with red ribbon. At work, I leave those Valentine cards we used to give when we were back in school at my coworkers' cubicles when they are not there. I try to mix the playful with the romantic. My thinking is that Valentine's Day is a day set aside to remind us to show others that they are loved. Don't we all need to know that?

In this busy life, I think we do need reminders to be loving. We can get so caught up in our own lives, problems, and stresses, that we can easily forget to look out for others who may need a loving gesture, a smile, a box of chocolates or even a small bouquet of flowers to brighten their day. We never know what someone is going through and everyone is fighting their own battles.

Stay tuned as the topic of how to love continues and please do write and send me your thoughts and ideas. Until next time, be a blessing!