"Love is not denying ourselves
and doing for others,
but rather it is honestly expressing
whatever our feelings and needs are
and empathically receiving
the other person's feelings and needs."
-- Marshall B Rosenberg
Continuing this quote, Marshall says, "To receive empathically does not mean that you must comply--just accurately receive what is expressed as a gift of life from the other person. Love is honestly expressing our own needs; that doesn't mean making demands, but just, "Here I am. Here's what I like."
Happy Valentine's Day to you. Valentine's Day, for adults, has become a day of demonstrating our affection or love for things. Flowers, candy, cards, other gifts, red hearts, champagne, special events like going out to dinner, and such. It is meant to be an expression of love from one to another. There might even be expectations of these things and not receive them can cause negative feelings.
For children, at least as I recall when I was a child in grade school, giving little Valentine's cutouts was a way to say, "I like you." It wasn't intimate generally, but a gift of acceptance. Some got a lot, others got few, and maybe even none.
In advertising, all the stars line up and everyone is getting what they want and being lavished with roses and diamonds, champagne and chocolate, generous gifts, and romantic imaginings.
Some have no partner, no lover to share these things and these ideas, none of which is really love anyway. For them, today may simply be another February 14th come and gone.
However far I've gone down the negative path here, relax in that there is an inspiration on the horizon.
Consider the first line of the quote at the top: "Love is not denying ourselves." Moreover, "Love is not denying ourselves and doing for others." When we allow the love that is already within us, that is virtually guaranteed us, that is the love to end all love because it is the Love that is Eternity, that is God, that is All-That-Is, we need not look without for any fulfillment in the way of love. That doesn't mean that we don't welcome love from others, but that we don't seek it, that we don't need it, that we are already whole without it. It is a blessing when it is there and a blessing when it is not there, for we have all that we could ever imagine within at our Source.
I love so many quotes by Wayne Dyer, and he exuded love in all of his teachings. One that fits perfectly here is, "If you knew who walked beside you at all times, on the path that you have chosen, you could never experience fear or doubt again." That is the love that is within that is our Source, that is only figuratively walking beside us, and is constantly within us guiding our every step and thought as we allow that to be.
And, of course, my favorite all-time quote, which happens to be also from Wayne Dyer is the best definition of love I've ever seen: "Love is the ability and willingness to allow those that you care for to be what they choose for themselves without any insistence that they satisfy you."
To those whose stars are aligned and you gave and received all that the advertising suggested, along with all the romantic feelings at their hilt, enjoy. You are blessed.
To those who don't benefit from the alignment of the stars, take heed--your love is within, and all you need do is relax in it, allow it to caress you, let it treat you to the deepest, more wonderful love you could have imagined, today, and every day. And, just in case you love those 'things' too, you can buy them and give them to yourself!
As I Am Loved By God, I Love Everyone As I Love Myself.
Spread Some Joy Today--by relaxing in the natural bounty of joy within.
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