Every February across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. That said, with all this love in the air my heart skips a beat just thinking about just how lucky I am to have both people that I love and ones who love me back.
Truth be told, the word “love” has become so commercialized and overused in the past several years that we often lose sight of the real meaning of love. I know even I throw around the word in meaningless ways. Have you ever said: “I love those shoes”, “I would love to have a new handbag”, “I love that Gucci dress”, or for you guys out there “I love football”, “I love the Saints”. We all do our part to wear out the word’s true meaning.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not cupid – charged with protecting this word – nor would I ever want to find myself with wings and fly around shooting arrows, but I can’t help feeling that it would be nice if the word “love” still represented an intense deep feeling and affection to someone, not something. Of course, we can always love our pets, but loving things such as a car, furniture or even golf clubs seems to blur the real meaning of loving.
So what’s the real difference? I have lost someone I loved, and it’s very different than losing a car or pair of shoes. If you’ve experienced the death of a loved one, like me you know that your love for that person takes flight along with their beloved soul, and it is irreplaceable. Today my heart is full of memories and the passionate feelings of that love, making me a better person for having loved and lost, rather than never loving at all. I have grown to love again because of that experience. My love today has grounded me to evolve not just in loving someone but adoring them too. I don’t think anyone has ever had the same kind of growth after “loving” and losing a great pair of shoes.
So on this Valentine’s Day weekend, I suggest we all think twice about what we “love”, and reclaim love as a powerful meaning of passion and affection. This Valentine’s Day express your love to that special someone with a little additional explanation: “I adore you my darling, and I love you so much more than anything or anyone.” Now that’s a gift from the heart that will get their attention.
