Valentine’s Day is rapidly approaching. All thoughts turn to chocolate, cards, chocolate, roses, chocolate – oh yes, LOVE. This overly commercialized date on the calendar is supposed to be about love, a very complex, difficult concept that is often trivialized.
We throw the word around easily – especially when it comes to things: “I LOVE my I-phone, my bicycle, skiing . . . “ (I really do!)
It’s harder to love people – specific people: the irritating co-worker; the adversarial committee member at church. I could go on. Mankind, the human race – that’s easy. Done.
Even though I have read many books on the subject, my anchor on the subject of love continues to be the Bible. First Corinthians 13 pretty much sums it all up.
We often hear the phrase “love your neighbor as yourself”. Wow – for many of us that would mean the neighbor would be the victim of abuse. Most of us know well the self-hatred demon. How are you doing on that loving yourself issue??
What would be some acts of loving yourself gently, gracefully? Here are some of mine. .
- Eating healthy, nourishing foods
- Dancing
- Being still
- Riding my bike
- Running Whatcom Falls Park
- News fasts
- Stroking my cats
- Wearing loose clothing and comfortable shoes
- Reading
- Focusing on my achievements rather than my mistakes
It all starts with us – that all-important relationship with ourselves. Does that relationship need a tune-up?