Hollywood tells us that love is a fairytale.
Society tells us that love is hard.
Pop culture tells us that love is painful.

I disagree with this.
Love is love.
Love is not hard.
Marriage is hard. Relationships take work. All relationships.
But the love part? No. That’s easy.

Love as a noun is a feeling. Love as a verb is an action.

The word love may be one of the most overused words in the English language. On a regular basis, we profess love for food, clothes, shoes, tv shows, and several other mundane objects.

This can cause the word to be diluted, to have some question what it means, or if the person saying it truly means it.

To love someone, truly love them, is an act of service. Parents love their children and place their needs above their own when appropriate. Friends who love each other pay attention to the needs of their friend. Partners who love each other provide for each other wants, both physical and emotional.

In real life, love is not always flashy. It is not always a big production. Acts of love often go unnoticed or taken for granted.

Love in action takes so many forms:
A call or text in the morning to ensure someone woke up.
A weather update to advise about extreme temps.
A favorite movie playing when the other arrives home.
A favorite meal being prepared.
Air being put in a tire, or gas being put in a gas tank.
Cleaning.
Laundry.
Dishes.

All of these and so many more, are acts of love that in our busy society we tend to miss. We brush past them.

We spend time looking for the large, flashy event. The one we are told is a true declaration of love.

In my world, on a regular basis, love looks an awful lot like a scraped windshield in the morning. It is one less thing I need to do in each morning which is nice, but every time, I am fully aware of the fact that the opposite if this is that much more time was spent by him in the cold before the sun comes up.

Each year on this day, people get so caught up in making sure their love is known and showy.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy flowers, chocolate, and being spoiled as much as the next person.

But that is one day of the year. What about tomorrow? What about next week? Are we taking time to show love to those who matter to us when Hallmark and the flower industry are not involved?
Are we taking time to acknowledge the small declarations all around us every day?

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone, shower your tribe with love today, but please make sure to carry it forward with you as well.