Friendship and relationship advice
-
The heart of the matter
“To love well is the task in all meaningful relationships, not just romantic bonds.” ~bell hooks While Valentine’s Day was originally designed to celebrate romantic love, the holiday has evolved to include our love for friends and family. Hallmark produces Valentine cards for everyone in your life, from siblings to parents to best friends. You can even buy a Valentine for your dog to give a loved one. Love is a wonderful thing. As medical experts advise, spending time with people we enjoy promotes longevity and supports mental health. Ideally, when we connect in person with others, we step outside of ourselves and our world expands. This week, think about…
-
Open-hearted love
“We really have to understand the people we want to love. If our love is only a will to possess, it is not love. If we only think of ourselves, if we know only our own needs and ignore the needs of the other person, we cannot love.” ~Thich Nhat Hanh, Peace Is Every Step February is the month for posting thoughts about love. But I like to think of “love” as an all-encompassing word that wraps its meaning around more than romantic relationships. Love is the umbrella that shelters friendship and community. When we love our friends and neighbors, we want what’s best for them — not just ourselves.…
-
When silence speaks volumes
“To say nothing is saying something. You must denounce things you are against, or one might believe that you support things you really do not.” ~Germany Kent As today’s quote suggests, silence can be misinterpreted. This got me thinking about a variety of complicated situations — including politics. (Don’t worry: I’m staying bipartisan here.) Recently, some friends and I agreed that when people refuse to discuss politics, we often assume that their beliefs and opinions don’t align with ours. Or maybe they don’t know us well enough to share their truth. Otherwise, they’d speak up, right? We could be wrong, of course. But speaking from experience, I’ve learned that others…
-
The gift of your attention
“Nothing you can give will ever be more appreciated than your sincere, focused attention—your full presence. Truly being with someone, and listening without anticipation of the next event or what you’ll say next, is the ultimate compliment.” ~Marc Chernoff, Marc & Angel Hack Life As Christmas draws closer, I’m usually overwhelmed by holiday stress. Every morning, I wake up with a chorus of elves reciting a “to-do” list in my head: When are you going to finish your Christmas cards? What will you bring to the Christmas Eve party? What else do you need for the Christmas morning brunch you’re hosting? Have you overlooked anyone on your gift list? That’s…
-
Abundance
“Love is something that if you give it away, you end up having more.” ~Malvina Reynolds For years I’ve been fascinated by the “law of abundance,” and I think there’s something to it. In a nutshell, the theory suggests that if you act on the belief that there’s always plenty to share, you’ll attract more good things in your life. In other words, the more you give — whether it’s love, time, money, attention, or produce from your garden — the more you get back. Conversely, if you’re miserly or overly protective of your own resources, you’re less likely to attract an abundance of anything. And if you keep taking…
