Happy Valentine's Day

Are you a fan of Valentine's Day?  I know there are some people who are fiercely in favor of celebrating all things love and just as many who see Valentine's Day as a "Hallmark holiday."  I probably land somewhere in between.  I can understand and agree with those who believe we should be celebrating love and the positive difference it makes in our lives.  And I can also understand and agree with those who say if we are celebrating love it shouldn't be because of some random date on a calendar and the pressure that can come with it.

So Yes, I love love.  And I must admit a lot of my greatest lessons on learning about whole-hearted love have come from my dogs.  Obviously this is NOT about romantic love, but on how we should love everyone around us at all times.  My dogs are always happy to see me.  They get excited to be doing anything together.  They live in the moment and soak up the joy.  They know how to listen without judgment or (clearly) the need to say something in response.  All characteristics of love that I value in all of my relationships.

There are lots of different types of love around us - love for our family, our friends, our significant others, our encouragers, those who push us, challenge us and believe in us to be our greatest selves, our classmates/ teammates, and our pets.  And all of those people in all of those different types of love deserve to be celebrated and honored.  So it doesn't matter if you did it today or on another day (or hopefully strive to do it every day), but I hope you will take a moment to reflect on who helps you to feel loved in your life and who you are grateful for in your daily interactions and try to show them - either through your words or your actions so that they will know how much they mean to you.

Happy Valentine's Day!  Remember, YOU ARE LOVED!