Today is the day that has everyone talking about love; so let’s talk.  It seems that we, as human beings, spend a good portion of our lives seeking love in one way or another.  I’ve been thinking a lot lately about love and about how to “be love” as I walk through life.  There are obvious answers that come quickly to mind:

I can be kind and loving to the man I fell in love with twenty-four years ago.

I can be loving and understanding with my children and approach them with encouragement rather than criticism.

I can be helpful to my neighbors and show them kindness.

All of these are admirable things and good examples of sharing love; but I think that “being” love goes a bit deeper.  A little while ago, I shared a quote with you from Albert Schweitzer, the respected medical missionary who I think set a very good example of being love.  He speaks of us having an inner fire — I suppose you could call it a passion — and he speaks of the fire burning low and then bursting into flame due to an encounter with another human being.  Schweitzer said:

“In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.”

He also remarked:

“Do something wonderful, people may imitate it.”

If there is an inner fire that is our spirit, and if that fire is sometimes sustained by encounters with others, then I suppose that “being love” might have something to do with opening our hearts in our dealings with other people so that if their flame is burning low it might be rekindled by the fire of love that lives within us.  Who knows?  If we do this “something wonderful,” somebody might just pass it on.

Today is Valentine’s day.  I will try to find ways to express my love and gratitude to my husband and my children for the good feelings of warmth and acceptance they bring to my life.  This is a good thing!

Now I stop for a minute and recall another time in my life, in the innocence of childhood, when I gave Valentine cards to everyone I could possibly think of.  There was such joy in just expressing love to all the people who were part of my life.  There was less discrimination and less need to define the word, “love”, as I opened my heart and lavished small hearts on everyone I met.  I’m thinking that we can learn a lot from the children we used to be — on Valentine’s Day and, hopefully, beyond the limit of a calendar date.  Let us come to Valentine’s Day with our hearts wide open and let the fire of love that burns in our spirits lead the way in our interactions with others.  Who knows?  We just might start something!