Love.

I have a set of Angel Cards that I keep in a pretty box by my bed. Angel cards are about the size of your pinky finger and have different angels on them representing feelings or concepts like Compassion, Release or Humor.

Each night before I go to sleep, I close my eyes and I reach my hand in to pull out a card.

Once you pick an angel card, the rest is up to you to interpret. The card could represent an area that you need to work or something you are doing well with. The card can also simply serve as a reminder to feel the particular sentiment that it represents.

I just like it as little magical thing to do at the end of my day. Something sweet before I drift off to sleep.

So, the other night I pulled the box over and rested it on my chest (this detail becomes important later) and chose a card: Flexibility is what I got. It didn't resonate with me particularly but I placed it on top of the box and put the box back on my dresser.

The next morning as I disrobed to get into the shower I saw something fall to the floor.

I looked closer, and saw it was this...

Somehow the Love card had snuck out of the box without my knowing and burrowed down into my PJs. What a great reminder that you can find love in the unlikeliest places! And just a few days shy of Valentines day.

I consider myself to be a very loving person, but when life gets busy it is easy to get caught up in the day to day and forget to really connect with love. Not just romantic love, but love love. Tenderness, appreciation, allowance, patience, support.  Love for others. Love for ourselves. Love for our bodies and minds.  Love for nature and our planet.

I know many people who despise Valentine's Day. I certainly have in years past. It can be a painful day whether you are in a relationship or single. That's largely because of our expectations about what the day should hold.

But I can't think of a concept that is further from love, than expectation. OK, I can think of some things further from love, like violence and stuff, but you know what I mean.

This Valentine's Day, rather than getting trapped in hopes, disappointments or expectations about how you should feel, or what your day should look like,  see if you can view it as a celebration of Love. Whatever that word means to you in your life right now. Cook a delicious dinner. Get a massage. Journal. Do something unexpected for someone - a partner or a friend.

Have some frickin' fun. This is LOVE we're talking about people. 

Like this story that my friend just shared with me:  Her boyfriend loves doing the NY Times crossword puzzle, so she went online and made a special crossword puzzle for him with all words and clues referencing their relationship (trips they had been on, etc.) Then she woke up early and got to the paper first and pasted the puzzle in for her boyfriend to discover later.

How cute is that?

My not quite as cute thing that I am doing for B is about to happen right now.

B always edits my posts before I send them. (So I am writing this now knowing that he will read it later tonight, and be surprised)  He is usually tired and would rather just relax, but he always rallies to support me.

So... I wanted to publicly thank him for his contributions to in. Wellness. And as my way of celebrating him, I am now going to post the picture of the 204 he bowled last Sunday. B is not normally a good bowler, so this was really exciting for him. He was in the zone and I was so proud of him and I love him!

So, go forth and be loving!

Here's an amazing video to send you off with. It was made by recording street musicians from around the world: