Is there a definition of love?
People are largely mistaken on what true love really is (my opinion). We are asked the “what is or are you in love” question all the time. I am sure if you google it you will find 100 definitions that we think is the answer. I say let’s stop making it a “thing” a “word” a “definition". Love is how you feel towards many things in life, yourself, your partner, the earth, a good book, a nice meal etc. So many people associate love with a relationship and yes of course that is true, but I am writing this blog to talk about love in every aspect of our lives. As we are in the month of June, which is PRIDE month I want to recognize the LGBTQ+ community. I have been an Ally for this community for many years now. As a small town girl from Pittsburgh I thought love was exactly what I just wrote you. Having a boyfriend and being in love, I didn’t associate love with myself or anything else. When I moved to NYC I didn’t know how to act or where I would fit in. I was very quiet for the 1st year or so as it is tough here to make real friends. I quickly found myself becoming a part of the LGBTQ+ community and was taught by my beautiful friends in this community that I could be whatever I wanted to be, and to own it, to love ME for ME and not let anyone tell me different. Those words stuck with me and is one of the reasons I am who I am today. To be an outsider in NYC and have these beautiful people enlighten me to who I was or would be in my journey was so amazing. They barely knew me and took me under their wing to show me that Amanda was always in there, she just needed a little light shined on her. To these lovely people (if I name you all this blog would be 10 pages long) I will always be grateful and you all are always a part of my life, I love you. That to me is a form of love.
Love comes from everywhere obviously friends and family, but try looking at it differently. That is how I was enlightened, look at it with every aspect of your life. The beautiful garden you walk past, that can be love. The random stranger that walks by you and smiles, that can be love. The sun shining on a beautiful day that can be love. We are all so caught up with our day to day lives, the grind, the hustle, the stress. We constantly focus on the negative because it is easier to complain. This is your chance to notice other things in your life, this is your chance to “define” what love is to you. Love for me is all around, my family, my amazing boyfriend, my friends, the sunshine, yoga, sleeping in on the weekend, winning $10 lotto ticket. All the good things around me is love. Love is choosing somebody, choosing something, and choosing them over everything else, over your ego, over yourself every day. I say choose over yourself, but what I mean by that is when you love so much it will radiate into you loving yourself as you are making that wonderful commitment to something or someone. That feeling will make you look at yourself in the mirror and just radiate with love and happiness for yourself. So don’t forget to keep an eye on that, because it truly is a euphoric feeling. Love for who or what it is, don’t judge, don’t make assumptions, just appreciate what it is you are choosing to love and put your whole heart into. That will make your journey in this life amazing and your love will guide others into a wonderful journey as well.
So live. Be vulnerable. Take risks. Get hurt trying because that means you are alive and living. Learn from your mistakes. Get better at loving all. Tell people you love them, show people you love them. Show Mother Nature you love her. Love is FREE all day every day and she is not going out of style anytime soon. My hope is for you all is to love a little more after reading this, not saying you all don’t love, but maybe just love something you never thought of before. Could be as small as the cereal you have in the morning. It doesn’t have to always be dedicated your partner. Of course that is a huge part of a relationship, I know for me I tell my boyfriend all the time I love him, and I do. But for me it’s the actions caring for him, me being there, the silly notes I leave him, the acceptance of who he is as a person, the compassion for him over myself. That is my love “definition.” To show love actions with someone or something in your life is a huge step in your wellbeing and your journey. So let’s take a moment and say I love you to the people in our lives we appreciate and everything around us that is great, we only get one go at this life so let’s spread all the love we can!
“To have never loved is simply to have never lived, so give it your all, scream it from the mountain tops, love all, because we are here to live!”
MUCH LOVE,
XOXO