A couple of weeks ago I was on a mastermind call. It had been a good chat and there were three of us left in the Zoom. I’d met the other two women in real life, but only once. Yet when we signed off, I said “Love you two!”
I didn’t see their reactions because we hung up. But I did wonder if they thought maybe I was a little too forward. Did I jump the gun by saying the L word? Was it too soon?
But even if it was, I would have said it anyway. I might even say it again at our next meeting.
There are different kinds of love. There’s familial love, and romantic love, and the love forged through the deep friendships of found family.
And then there’s the simple love that’s a feeling of warmth and affection and a general wish for good things to happen to the other person. I feel love for lots of people. For people I barely know. For people I’ve only met in person once. And for some with whom I’ve only interacted online.
As you might imagine, I say “Love you” a lot.
My heart is filled with love. Even now, when the world feels like it’s crumbling. Maybe especially now, because the world feels like it’s crumbling.
Because when I stop looking at the world and I look at the people within it, I realize the world is not crumbling. I see the neighbors celebrating with a family backyard barbecue. I grin back at the cashier who told me those grilled chicken strips are the best. I wink conspiratorially with the daughter who’s “kidnapping” her mother to take her on a stroll outside her assisted living home on a beautiful day.
And I feel great affection. I feel a warmth in my soul. I feel my heart swell.
I feel love.
There’s a lot to be angry about in this world right now, but there’s also a lot of good. I believe there’s a heck of a lot more kindness than evil.
I know I’m constitutionally wired to see the best. My grandma used to say I was the only baby she knew that woke up smiling. And maybe it’s a case of you see what you’re looking for, but I honestly see that kindness and that goodness every single day.
So if I see you and I say “Love you,” don’t be surprised. Don’t be put off.
Maybe, you might want to say “Love you, too.”
One thing I also love is writing! The next Alex Paige book is full steam ahead. Very, very soon I’ll be announcing a special project involving her first six adventures as well as her upcoming seventh, so stay tuned.
Until then,
Happy reading!
Theresa
The year I preached in Germany Garth Brooks has just hit the airwaves with "If tomorrow never comes". That song became a mantra of sorts when I got to go to Stuggart to meet my mother's family, most elderly. I always made sure to be on my best behavior and always told them I loved them because who knows what tomorrow might bring