Once we look past the commercialism, the overpriced flowers, and the tacky cards, Valentine’s Day can be a day to celebrate all kinds of love. Buy yourself a bouquet of flowers, write yourself a love note, and take yourself out to dinner. Then when you are ready, invite your spouse, partner, friend, or any loved one to join you in celebrating love.
Before we fall asleep or leave for work, my partner and I exchange the words, “Love you.” It’s more than a tradition; it’s a way of reminding ourselves that we have the capacity to love. I have fallen in and out of love with myself many times. There are days I wish Cupid would shoot an arrow at me to remind myself how loveable I am. To love another person takes courage, commitment, and vulnerability. What would it take to love ourselves? Courage. Commitment. Vulnerability.
My wish for you is that you experience expansive love. As I celebrate love, I am open to receive it as well. If I am to love you, it begins with loving me. I love you. And I love me.
Mary Anne