With Valentine’s Day approaching, love is on the mind and in the air.  According to Wikipedia, the name “Valentine” was derived from Valens meaning worthy, strong, and powerful.  When I think of love these are the words that come to my mind. To have a love that captures these qualities, be it in a family, friendship, or romantic relationship makes that relationship extraordinarily special. To be worthy, one must be willing to consider the needs of another above their own; to be strong one must be willing to be available through all life’s challenges and not waiver in their commitment; to be powerful love must consist of trust, respect, and honesty so that the relationship can continue to flourish.  This makes love anything but easy and sometimes we fall short, but our willingness to admit our shortcomings and work on improving them and our willingness to forgive allows our love relationships to grow in worthiness, strength, and power.

Love overlooks a lot

Therefore, real love, the kind of love that shapes who we are and who we will become and will stay within our heart forever, looks nothing like many of the Hollywood movies or TV sitcoms we see today.

Good looks won’t keep the fire burning
Looks fade, stupid is forever

Don’t fall prey to those that wish to manipulate our willingness to love for their own purposes.  That is not love and it would be helpful to:

Only give your tears to someone who deserves them

Valentine’s Day provides us with an opportunity to honor our love relationships for the peace, confidence, and strength they have given us on our journeys.  Take this opportunity to remember and acknowledge those whose love has been instrumental in your life.

Happy Valentine’s Day!