hmmmm . . . so as we approach valentine's day & the consumer spirit of "love & all its glory," i'm pondering the question: what exactly IS true love?
recently, i have been barraged by my 7-yr old telling me that she wants to be "the girl who is most popular in high school because THAT'S who all the boys will love." and, so, i'm struck feeling like perhaps somewhere I went wrong. perhaps, somehow i didn't love her enough?? and, even at the young age of 7, she feels a certain palatable need to fill that void?
but, what is it exactly that she's seeking?? honestly, it's probably the same thing that i was quite guilty of searching for when i was young too . . . that romantic love that evokes those warm fuzzies . . . that kind of love that cinderella & her prince had (you know, before they had a mortgage, 4 kids, and those chores that seem never-ending like laundry & dishes to clean!).
the truth is, love is so much more than a warm fuzzy & it's so much deeper than those fleeting moments when you were young & the whole world seemed to spin around you when Mr Right seemed to be totally & completely & madly "in love" with you from across the 8th grade school dance floor. the truth is, that true love makes you grow as a person beyond what you thought you were capable. true love reminds you that it takes work to love a person when you've been with them long enough for them to peel back their layers and show you their wounds -- you know, those wounds we like to refer to as "baggage" -- it's that ugly stuff that we pack deep into a suitcase & hope that the Right one will never see that deep into us to figure out that we still carry that big, heavy suitcase around, clumsily trying to hide it behnd our backs. true love tries you & begs you to be patient, and kind . . . even when EVERYthing else tells you not to be. true love makes you smile because you know that you CAN'T change a person, and you begin to see previous "faults" as "QuiRks". and, true love means that sometimes there is no explaination for that thing that he/she does that hurts you, but that's ok because together you're better than you'd ever be apart. true love means that even during the rough times you're BOTH learning patience, humility, and kindness. so, eventhough everything isn't storybook perfect, i DO believe in true love (and that it takes a lot of hard work!).
for my little girls, i truly hope one day they do find their Prince Charmings . . . but even more, i hope they find someone who truly loves them & is willing be patient & kind with them . . . while they too are learning to be more loving & patient & kind toward their True Love.
wishing you & yours a happy valentine's, natasha
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