February: The Month of LOVE
February.
The month of romance, teddy bears, roses and a reminder everywhere you go that you are either in a relationship or are single. It's a funny thing that this month is called the month of love, when practically it encompasses material things given to us by another. The best gift, the biggest bouquet, the best dinner, and so on. Now, with gifts being my love language, I am in no way complaining. I'll take any excuse to get a gift, but I have found myself reflecting recently that love is so much more than the reasons listed above.
I was working on new shirt designs and kept finding that the quotes I never can seem to let go of all encompass the world love. "What is done in love is done well", "do small things with great love", "love more", etc. Now why do these consistently sell well? I believe it's because love is something we all want and desire.
However, the most important thing to look at is that love is so much more than a Nicholas Sparks movie or that high school romance you had. Below, I'm attempting to debunk the cliches we constantly are told that love is and prove to you that either if you are single or in a relationship, this month of love is much more than just having a significant other.
Love is sitting in the waiting room eagerly awaiting the arrival of your first granddaughter. Love is helping your elderly neighbor clean out the gutters. Love is forgiving those who did you wrong. Love is comforting your hurting best friend. Love is caring more about another than yourself. Love is swing dancing the night away with that boy you have had a crush on forever. Love is when you lose track of time with your best friends eating a large pizza while binge watching Gilmore Girls. Love is a humanitarian trip overseas to build a well so children can have clean water. Love is that feeling of butterflies deep in your stomach when you see the one you adore. Love is the smile you give a stranger when you walk by. Love is taking a warm plate of chocolate chip cookies to your local Fire Station to thank them for their service. Love is giving someone the one thing you can't get back, your time. Love is staying up late playing cards with your family. Love is putting effort into a relationship even when it feels like you don't have enough time. Love is coaching your children's soccer team. Love is getting outside, hiking a mountain and appreciating the fact that you have a healthy body to enjoy this beautiful world we live in. Love is working full time to provide for your family or staying home all day to care for your children. Love is cuddling up at night with the pup who could not wait for you to get home. Love is kind and patient and all encompassing.
Now don't get me wrong. Love is, of course, looking into the eyes of the one you have vowed to spend the rest of your life with, but that just scratches the surface.
Whether single or in a relationship, may this month be full of LOVE. Not just the love cupid brings, but the love that can be found in the day to day. May we be loving to others, because as The Beatles said it first, "All you need is love."
Happy February friends!
xx,
Abby