For years, my blog bio has stated that I’m trying to “figure
out this thing called life and the best way I
know how to do that is to write
and to love.” I’ve shared a decent amount about writing over the past 800+
posts.
But what of love?
Every day I learn more about how love can’t be packaged as a
feeling. It’s rooted in surrender, service, sacrifice, and supplication. For
me, it’s anything but simple.
Here are a few glimpses of how love manifests itself in my
life…
Forcing myself to stay awake to chat with my oldest daughter
because even though I’m a morning bird, my night owl gets her second wind at
10pm, right when I’m desperate to crawl under the covers and sleep.
Apologizing first.
Letting go.
Committing to the hard path of parenting when it’s tempting
to choose the easy route.
Seeking to understand.
Listening when I want to talk.
Driving my kids to activities, taking out the trash, risking
intimacy, walking the dog . . .
Noticing—truly noticing and appreciating the season I’m in.
Grasping a vision and affection for all things deemed
unlovable or discarded.
Delighting in nature.
Laughing hard.
Experiencing gratitude so deeply it ultimately serves as a
motivator.
Responding when a response is called for.
Remaining silent.
Encouraging.
Praying.
Sometimes I do a bang up job when it comes to loving people.
Other times, I whiff big time. As with all things, I hope to be forever
improving, forever learning.
I’m largely who I am because of how I’ve been loved. My
memory is long for those for those who’ve chosen to pour into me. And my life
is full.
~ Love quotes that are speaking to me right now ~
“Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place.” ~ Zora
Neale Hurston
“If a thing loves, it is infinite.” ~ William Blake
“Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the
loved person’s ultimate good as far as it can be obtained.” ~ C. S. Lewis
