How Do You Love????

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, the displays and ads are in full swing. Every kiss begins with "k" and Dove hopes love is in a box of chocolates! 
With all that society/culture does to help us express love, I truly feel like it all misses the mark.
There are 4 major types of love and 5 Love Languages (we'll talk about next time) and I seriously doubt any of that can be summed in anything from Kay or over a candlelight dinner!
In being our best authentic selves (and allowing others to be the same) let's move past the commercial and get back to the compassion of love expressing!
Let's be willing to tell the significant people in our lives how we truly feel...without regard if they reciprocate! You see, that's the BEST part of love...actually experiencing it! Somebody said: "It's better to have loved and lost than to not have loved at all" (put it in the comments if you know where this came from).  When you express your love (any type) towards someone else, it frees your soul; it makes you wanna sing...lol!
I'm not only taking about romantic (eros) love...I'm talking about all kinds to all people (agape)! When you whisper it to your sleeping child (storax), or say it to your best girlfriend at the end of the phone call (philia)...no matter to whom it's expressed, it benefits the giver just as much, if not more, than the receiver!

I challenge you this Valentine's Day (and after) to express love in all ways! Don't allow society to dictate to you how it should be given and definitely not how it's received! Remember, we all express love differently so if you don't receive diamond earrings or a night on the town, that does not mean your significant doesn't love you! 
If you're single at this moment, show love to the people who truly matter in your life. Valentine's Day can even be a pre-mother's/father's day! If you have children, don't leave them out of the love fest! Do something sweet with or for them...or better yet, do something together for someone else! We usually reserve serving during the "holiday" season but what better way to teach them about limitless expressions of love than to offer charity to someone who can't repay you?
For my married couples...make this a season to serve each other! Put aside your selfish desires and serve (wait on, assist, attend to) your mate! Put aside the petty differences and not only express your love but be willing to receive the expression of love they give (remember, they may speak a different love language). 
Just so you know...I'll spend the day doing my usual. I'll buy red, heart-shaped balloons for my kids and hubby! I'll write personal messages and song lyrics on them and tie them to their beds, so they can dream sweet dreams :) We'll have a nice family dinner with everyone's favorites (mostly mine) and it'll be a quiet and fun evening! I'll send out messages of love to my friends, parents and siblings. I have some other things planned but I can't tell here (surprises)! No matter, it's my goal to express every type of love this Valentine's season...all week long! 
Will you join me? Will you get away from the commercialized view of this day and get back to the compassion? Ladies, will you not only look to be served but also be willing to give a little bit of yourself?
I hope you all have a BLESSED and LOVELY Valentine's Day! Next week, we'll talk about the 5 Love Languages...i hope it'll help us understand each other better!