What’s So Funny ‘Bout Peace, Love & Spudaiogeloion?

“What the world needs now is love, sweet love.”
“Spread love not hate.”
“I’m a lover, not a fighter.”
“I love you.”

As corny as those phrases sound to someone who has used their ability to compartmentalize their feelings and emotions to avoid pain, hurt and rejection – I must admit that I do love, love. I just have trouble expressing it sometimes. I also feel like the word gets carelessly thrown around so much so that it loses its luster and the meaning of it starts to mean less.

Love comes in many forms and the capacity to love someone or something is malleable.

This is February so obviously the word of the month is: LOVE. Either you’re all about it or you want no parts of it – there’s no in between. Although, I happen to feel both ways during this time of year (I blame the Gemini in me).

Creativity often stems from emotion. Feeling, giving or receiving love will be conveyed in whatever work you are creating. In turn the viewer of your work should be able to feel the exact same love (or even lack of) that you had felt during the creation process.

There are a few areas in my life where I would like to improve my love quota:

• Love myself more because if I don’t, then who will? And by loving myself more, I need to be more conscious of taking care of me and my needs. If I don’t then the people around me (especially those who depend on me) will suffer because they are not receiving the best me that I can be for them. Self-care and mental health are two very important topics that we all need to consistently address for ourselves throughout the course of our lives.
• Love my kids more. Not that I don’t already, but I can always do more – show more love towards them. My biggest fear with them is not showing them enough love to where they become adverse to it by the time they reach their adult years. Resulting in them not knowing how to reciprocate it once they do find it in a partner or in others.
• Love my family more. Time is fleeting and we’re only getting older, but showing love to family can be awkward at times. Especially when communication is scarce or conversations tend to skim just the surface without ever delving deep. Love is complicated even with family and I want to be able to extend the love I have (as well as support) no matter the distance that may or may not be between us.
• Love for people or humanity. As much you want to have love for the world and all the people that reside in it; there are certain individuals and factions that make it quite difficult. My heart is nowhere near the expanse of Ghandi or Mother Theresa, but I certainly have a fraction of empathy and compassion to be a little bit more nicer, a little bit more kinder and even a little bit more understanding when it comes to my fellow wo/man.