i love love.

happy valentine's day. <3

i am pretty sure valentine's day is my favorite holiday. i dipped chocolate strawberries. i made homemade valentines. i even made a wonderful love song playlist on my ipod and listened to it A L L the day long. 62 of my finest love songs on shuffle.

granted i haven't really had the most epically awesome romantic day on valentine's day.

but i sure love valentine's day for the one and only reason of celebrating how much i love those i love.

love. i say that word so loosely and free. i am not naive. i have been hurt. i know what it feels like to have your heart on the line and then have it smashed to a million kazillion pieces. but, i whole heartedly mean the word. love. it is so deep, yet so simple. it is the reason two pruny old people still clasp their hands together tight after 52 years of marriage. it is the reason a young child forgives so easily. it is the reason my little sister laughs abruptly in dead silence. it is the reason those with disabilities wrap their arms around complete strangers. it is the reason my father calls me in the middle of the day to tell me that i am stronger than i believe. it is the reason i call my older sis over 30 times a day. love fuels the power behind our determination to be better people and to help others. i believe the only way we can truly love is by opening our heart to others. and, yes, that is always a little scary. but it is worth it. i may not know much, but i've got 21 years of experience to back that one up.

today in institute we were learning about the parable of the good samaritan.

when do you remember being the best example of a good samaritan in your life?

my teacher taught one purpose of the parable was not an outward focus (who should i love?), but an inward one (do i love others?).

"I must ask myself not who is my neighbor but, am i a neighbor unto him? the lesson is to look into me and not out to others."

he then ended class with this thought::
what have you done today/what will you do today to make today (valentine's day) special for someone else.

and that's when it hit me.

and right after class i finished up my present for my friend Jacob: (i am super into watercolor valentines as of late)

as i gave jacob his valentine later that day, my heart began to sing. even if it was one of the most awkward valentine's i had ever given. i knew he appreciated it. whether it was the way it completely caught him off guard, or the way he shot me a almost-too-quick-to-catch-if-you-blinked-it-was-gone-smirk before he shoved my valentine and candy in his back pack. it made me happy to make this day special for someone else.

and of course that got me thinking again.

i want this to be my goal everyday.

to show every one i love how much i love them.

though i do love valentine's day and i'm super against the people who hate valentine's day because they believe you should love every day of the year... i just am grateful for the simple reminder to love more, and the renewed determination to open my heart and give the world more of my love.

so there ya have it, my two cents on this day of love.
get out there, and love more.
show someone you love just how much you love them.
don't hold back, give it your heart.