“Love one another, but make not a bond of love. Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.” – Kahil Gibran

People, I gotta tell you. This love thing. I used to think it was hard. Make that really hard. Granted, we often make things harder than they need to be, because I think we’ve all had moments where love seems so clear, so easy.

When we first fall in love, it is easy.

We love everything about the other person. We don’t notice the things that eventually drive us insane, like how loud someone chews or the way a fork will slide across teeth and make that maddening sound. Or things like doors that are perpetually left open instead of being closed.

Yeah. Wonder no more what my pet peeves are.

We lose sight of the very things we fell in love with. We get caught up in the everyday, the methodical way life becomes.

When in love, there is nothing methodical nor average nor everyday about it. That, I like to think, is precisely the secret to staying in love.

I’m trying, as you know. To truly love People — all of you. At first I thought this might be too lofty a goal. But I’m beginning to see through that illusion and into the reality that if love is all there is, then we are all manifestations of that.

So I’m beginning to think, this love thing, it’s not so hard as I thought. Well, the People loving part, because let’s be clear : me loving me. Hard as hell, peeps. Hard as freaking hell for me. So in that sense, yes, love is hard.

I wholeheartedly believe everything comes from love. Every single thing can be brought back around to it. Even our actions when they’re not so action worthy.

Fear? Jealously? Possessiveness? It’s something with love. A lack of love, a love someone never felt they received. Or some injustice based in love.

If we can be present enough in our lives, there is a constant flow of love — and of teaching how to love — going on amongst us.

I think that’s the best thing, I know I have many teachers teaching me. Helping to soften places in my heart that I didn’t know needed softening to begin with.

I see it with children and animals and especially at Kroger when I’m waiting in line. Yes — I’m still picking the longest of lines. But I’m learning to love while I wait now.

I see it in our elderly and young and old couples alike. Parents, friends, neighbors. The love is always there.

This afternoon, as Brother and I were leaving from a Guru visit, I saw a Mama with her Down Syndrome child. My heart did a little leap in the way it does when I see those beautiful children. I watched how a man in the parking lot had dropped his wallet, as he was madly talking on his cell phone.

This little girl ran to pick it up and called out to him. Annoyed, he turned around. He felt full of anger and resentment, but when he looked at that child, he was disarmed.

She so sweetly gave him his wallet and wished him a Happy Valentine’s Day, and he said {and I’m willing to bet he really meant it}, that he would have the happiest Valentine’s Day in years.

Love, People. That is love at work.

And I’m further beginning to suspect, that these children and individuals with disabilities, they’re the ones in the know; not us. I think I have much more to learn from them than they do from me. No doubt.

So go love one another. But make not a bond of it.

Kahil. He was so on his shit, wasn’t he?