Love is a gift that keeps on giving. What do you love? Who do you love? Why do you love? How do you love? Those are 4 great questions that you should take the time to answer. Answering these 4 questions is a perfect way to reflect on your life and the beauty within it. No matter how you answer the questions you will get a benefit from that exercise.
You see love is the greatest energy known to man. You may think that the energy from nuclear fission or the thermal energy of the sun would be considered the greatest energy. Those are both sources of tremendous energy but man never can fully experience the energy of nuclear fission or the thermal energy of the sun and survive. You may experience some fraction of that energy but you won't experience it in totality. It will always be limited.
Man can experience love. You can actually feel that energy. You can experience it in totality. You can both give and receive unlimited amounts of it. The only limiting factor in experiencing it is you. Right now as you read this blog think of the last time you loved something. Think about that time when you loved hard or someone loved you hard. In that moment you felt every joule of energy. It engulfed you. It took over your being. It was the best feeling you ever felt. It was the most energy you ever consumed.
The holiday season recently ended here in the United States and many other countries. As part of my family’s tradition we visit my parents and my wife's parents. Because its tradition to visit both sets of parents during that time we had to split our vacation between the two. Depending on how you look at it that could be good or bad. My wife and I both work in corporate America so our vacation is limited. We actually had to split the vacation up into 3 parts because my wife and I wanted some time to ourselves as well. With all the weekends included we had a total of 12 days between workdays to spend this great time with family and friends. That meant 5 days for my parents, 4 days for her parents and 4 days on the end for us which included the weekend before going back to work. The love I experienced during these 12 days was tremendous. I couldn't ask for much more. That energy has me back at work feeling great and ready to take on the world. The energy from that love has fully charged me to start 2016 off in a great way.
So what, you may ask, is that love that recharged me during this period of time? Let me explain some of it. The first 5 days of the trip were amazing. My father has been having some health issues and the last time I saw him he just wasn't himself. When we arrived and he walked out of the house to greet us and I could immediately tell a big difference. My dad was back. He looked full of energy. He looked happy. It made me happy. It made me feel the love for my Dad that I always feel but much more intensified. My Dad has been telling me he loves me as long as I can remember. Each and every time it makes me feel great to hear it. Hearing him say it this visit was much more special because he was healthy and energized. I didn’t have to think about the fact that I wished he was better because he was.
My Step Mom gave love in her own special way as well. She's always very giving of her time and effort. She goes out of her way to make Christmas for me, my wife and the kids special. However, the greatest love that she gave this holiday period was her expressing how proud she was of us. Hearing her words on how well she feels we are doing as parents and congratulating us on 20 years of marriage were a true gift of love. It meant a lot to us. Those are just two examples of feeling love (seeing my father doing so much better) and receiving love (the words expressed by my step mom) in those first 5 days. I really wished we could have spent more time with them.
On our next trip to my wife's parents house the love continued. My wife's parents are senior to my parents so it is a little different atmosphere visiting them. They really love to see the grand kids. Unfortunately they can't travel often to see us so they don't get to see them as often as they would like. You can just see it in their eyes how much they really enjoy seeing the kids. The smiles they have each and every day are warm felt. My mother in law makes sure we are well fed and even though she's not as mobile as she used to be she doesn't miss a step when caring for us.
My father in law shows so much interest in the kids’ lives that it becomes inspiring. He really cares and wants to know all the things that are going on in their lives. It’s so refreshing to see his curiosity and enchantment as he engages them in conversation. He plays with them and makes them smile. In turn it makes him smile. He has such a great spirit. Those are two examples of giving love (my mother in law making sure we were well taken care of) and feeling love (watching my father in law interact with his grand kids). We really enjoyed the time spent with them as well.
The ultimate love I experienced was between my wife and me. Yes, this could sound like that sappy part where I tell you how much I love my wife of 20 years. You may be surprised that this example of love included some turmoil. My wife and I actually had an argument during the holidays. Of course the holidays are the wrong time to have an argument. Yet when you think about it, is there ever really ever a good time to have an argument? The argument wasn't anything major that we couldn't get past but for some reason it really took a toll on us.
Without going into too much personal detail the argument took a toll on both of us because of love. We both love each other so much neither of us could really understand how we both felt about the actual situation that caused the argument. I went into my shell and stopped communicating. This in turn upset my wife and rightfully so. I'm a work in progress and that's one thing I'm working on eliminating. However, love brought us back together. My wife said 3 simple words to me that made my heart soar. The love I felt and experienced could never be put into words. I believe it’s much greater than any nuclear fission or any thermal energy the sun could ever release. Days later I still feel the energy from those words.
What were those 3 words? They were "I miss you". She missed her best friend. She missed our chemistry. She missed the energy we share with our love for each other. Those words meant the world to me. Hearing her say them about me just hit home in a special way. Just to know that she feels the same way about me that I feel about her is rewarding. Even after 20 years I can never take that for granted. I won’t allow myself to because once you take that for granted you risk the possibility of things becoming stagnant. I never want that to happen because life without growth isn’t meaningful life.
My heart is still soaring from those words. I do know if I've ever hugged and kissed her with as much love as I did at that moment. Maybe I have before but it felt like the best hug and kiss I'd ever given. Those examples of receiving love (hearing my wife tell me that she missed me) and giving love (hugging her so tight and kissing like I've never kissed before) were the greatest examples of love from my holidays. There's no other comparable energy on this earth that I can experience as a human being. It, along with all the other love I experienced has fueled me for a great start of 2016. My goal now is to continue adding to that fuel. I must first charge myself up by give love whenever I can. Second I must continue being aware of my every situation so I don't miss the opportunity of receiving love.
I'm not much of a New Year resolution guy. I'm more of a find something I need to do and do it type of guy. But because it is the beginning of a new year you can look at this as a New Year resolution if you like. This will be one resolution that I won't quit on. Love is the most power energy known to man and I plan to receive and give my share of it. Why wouldn't I when I know it is so abundant? The holidays just served as a great reminder of that fact. Consider this your reminder to get and give yours as well. Enjoy the journey!
With gratitude,
Drew
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