Happy Valentine's Day!

A day for recognising romantic love and in some cultures, also friendship.

This got me thinking… What if we took it one step further and extended our love out beyond our immediate lovers and closest friends on this date?  Really push it wider. Just for one day.

I’ve decided today I’m going to send a out a little extra love...

To myself, for trying, for caring, for pushing my boundaries. Also to my body for being my vehicle of life, my eyes and ears for the most beautiful views and music, my mind for the deepest emotions, thoughts and feelings.  

To my children in all their imperfect glory, hoping I can nourish their souls with the freedom to grow into the individuals they are, without trying to reshape or model them into my own image of perfection. 

To my parents, finding compassion for any mistakes they made, acknowledging they grew up in a different time and cultural context, with less access to information and support around difficult issues such as alcoholism, child development and discipline techniques. Also knowing I will most probably make my own parenting mistakes, despite my best efforts!

To my neighbours - even the rude shouty one who made me cry and stomped on my light, reminding myself that we each have our own troubles, distractions, losses, grief, life-changing medical diagnosis, fears, tragedies, ailments and struggles that affect our behaviour.

To those who are different from me - refusing to buy into the media stories that divide us in fear and set us against each other.

To those who are migrating to different continents - running away from violence, war, famine or threat, remembering that a scarcity mindset causes fear, which divides us and sets us against each other. There is enough space, there is enough food, there is enough to share, there is enough to care.

You know what, let’s go crazy - I’m going to send out a little extra love to all my fellow humans! We all share a common interest after all - our shared earth.  Like it or not, we are all in this together, and we are only going to find a way out of it, together.  

Could we possibly reclaim St Valentines Day from consumerism, take it beyond a commercial festival designed to encourage us to buy more shit we don't need that will end up in landfill, take it into our hearts and use it as a great reminder to send a little more love out into the world?

It is clear the world needs more love and it’s not something you can buy in your local gift shop. It’s not a stuffed toy, heart shaped pillow, bunch of plastic wrapped flowers or giant glittery card.

It is a thought, a feeling, an intention.

If we really take it into our hearts, it will affect the way we look at each other.The way we treat each other. How patient, kind, understanding and accepting we are of each other. How well we can really hear each other.

So by that reckoning, the wider we extend our circle of love, the more we make the world a better place.

Let’s start today.

Happy Valentines Day xx

Imagine for a moment, what the world might look like if everyone did this, just for one day.