Love & Valentine's Day

  • Friendship and relationship advice,  Love & Valentine's Day,  Valentine's Day quotes

    Love defined

    “Love is always patient and kind. It is never jealous. Love is never boastful or conceited. It is never rude or selfish. It does not take offense and is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in other people’s sins, but delights in the truth. It is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes.” ~ 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Long before the first chocolate truffle was invented, poets and philosophers have tried to describe the meaning and essence of love. While I’m not in the habit of sprinkling Bible passages in my conversation, today’s quote remains the very best definition of love I’ve ever found. In…

  • Friendship and relationship advice,  Love & Valentine's Day,  Love and romance

    Love & appreciation

    “Being taken for granted is an unpleasant but sincere form of praise. Ironically, the more reliable you are, and the less you complain, the more likely you are to be taken for granted.” ~Gretchen Rubin, The Happiness Project While I agree with some aspects of today’s quote, I have to take issue with it. Let’s just say that I can think of better forms of “praise” than being taken for granted. Whether we’re talking about romantic, platonic, or familial love, I believe most people want to feel special or appreciated. At the very least, human beings want to be seen and validated (which might explain our cultural addiction to social…

  • Friendship and relationship advice,  Health & wellbeing,  Love & Valentine's Day

    Self-love

    “Talk to yourself like you would talk to someone you love.” ~Brene Brown Sociologist and best-selling author Brene Brown often reminds her readers that healthy relationships begin with self-love and self-respect. While it might sound counterintuitive, it makes perfect sense. When you feel loved, confident, and secure, you have a deep reservoir of love for others. When you come from a place of abundance, you have plenty to give. Healthy self-love shouldn’t be confused with egotism or self-absorption. Self-love is the ability to accept your own humanity (flaws and quirks included) with gratitude and humility. Self-love is a willingness to keeping growing while you support the growth of others. Meanwhile,…

  • Friendship and relationship advice,  Health & wellbeing,  Love & Valentine's Day

    The heart of the matter

    “To love well is the task in all meaningful relationships, not just romantic bonds.” ~bell hooks As we cozy up to the middle of winter, our thoughts turn to love. And while February is known as the month for celebrating romance, I think it’s fitting to include friendship and family relationships in the love fest. As medical experts remind us, having an active social life (in person) is a major key to longevity and mental health. Throughout this month, I’ll be including quotes and reflections on the joys and challenges of opening our hearts to others — and how love can make our world a better place. ~CL

  • Friendship and relationship advice,  Holidays,  Love & Valentine's Day

    The heart of the matter

    “When you love someone, you love the whole person as he or she is, and not as you would like them to be.” ~Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina Most of us idealized love when we were young. If we were raised on fairy tales, for instance, we imagined marrying the perfect partner and living happily ever after. At the same time, we also held our friends and family members to impossibly high standards, and were disappointed when they didn’t behave like the best friends or families portrayed on TV sitcoms. As we mature, we discover that real love isn’t always picture-perfect; sometimes it gets as messy or as complicated as real…