Day 235 - Love on Top

So, because this song has recently become the oxygen in my lungs, I figured I should talk about it.
"Honey, honey, I can see the stars all the way from here.  Can't you see the glow on the window pane?  I can feel the sun whenever you're near.  Every time you touch me, I just melt away."  When love is around, our vision tends to find light that much easier.  I love stars myself, because they remind me of light in the midst of darkness.  I think same thing is reflected as the reality of love in the midst of the darkness that life can sometimes embody.  Not only does she see the stars, but she can feel the warmth of the sun, mirroring the warmth and life that love brings into life.  Warmth tends to make us open up and be in a place where we can receive.  And of course, the touch of a loved one can have the power to make us melt, be it physically or emotionally.
"Now everybody asks me why I'm smiling out from ear to ear. (They say love hurts.)  But I know (it's gonna take the real work).  Nothing's perfect, but it's worth it after fighting through my fears.  And finally you put me first."  Love, while grand, is not easy to live all the time, because relationship can be a challenging thing.  It does require work, but when love enters your life in such a way that it allows you to find healing and work through insecurities and fears, it is worth the effort and work that it takes.  And this can be especially true when you feel like you've dealt with less than ideal situations that have gotten better.  It seems as if this love, while okay before, has been improved, because her love recognized the need to re-prioritize and make her #1.
"Baby it's you - you're the one I love.  You're the one I need.  You're the only one I see. Come on baby it's you.  You're the one that gives your all.  You're the one I can always call.  When I need, you make everything stop.  Finally you put my love on top."  Now, because of the transition, she has found fulfillment in this love.  She's decided that this is the one.  Her love now provides what she needs, and she needs nothing else.  Because her love is now fully invested and takes care of her, she can fully commit and feel secure in this love.  Things are such that when she calls, her love drops everything and makes it happen.  Who wouldn't want a love like that?
"Come on baby.  I can hear the wind whipping past my face as we dance the night away.  Boy, your lips taste like a night of champagne as I kiss you again, and again, and again and again."  Now that she can trust the love, the time they spend together is that much sweeter.  They dance together, which I would like to take as a metaphor for walking the road of life together.  And a kiss from the one you love can always taste sweet, especially when you know that you are a priority to each other and that your love isn't going anywhere.

Day 234 - Gush

Ok, so normally I try to do deep, in-depth analysis of a song, movie, or other thought, but today, I just wanna be easy.  In an attempt to get outside my head more (I can hear my closest friends cheering), I want to take a second and just reflect on the beautiful thing that is love.  I was chatting on Facebook with one of my friends about things going on in my life and about love, and she was talking about some of her past experiences.  Then she said, "but I have found my wife."  This isn't the first time she's said this, and it touches me each time, because I have seen the beautiful flow of their relationship.  Then she said, "maaan, I love your friend soo much."  Once again, the only thing I could think was "awwww..."

For all the issues and mess and heartache that can be associated with love, it is easy to forget the beauty that is love.  Yes, I have cried tears from heartbreak, but I have also cried tears at joy because of the sweetness of love that touched me and made me feel like everything in the world would be okay.  Yes, there have been times when I never wanted to go near love again, but there have also been times when Love has wrapped Her arms around me and reminded me that she was as precious and indispensable as the air that I breathe.  So, I'm just gonna take a few minutes to be a giggly little girl and gush ("to express oneself extravagantly or emotionally") about the positives of love.

There's something so all-encompassing about love....  It has the ability to change anyone and anything.  

When love is given free course, it has the power to heal, to soften, and to strengthen...

Love can make you giggle, smile, laugh, and cry all in the same breath...

There's no comfort in the world like being held by someone you love...

Words aren't necessary when your eyes can speak your heart...

Love is one of those things that gets you up in the morning, motivates you through your day, and inspires beautiful dreams at night...

When you find it, you wanna tell the world...

It can make your whole life shine and glow...

Love can be the greatest security blanket ever...

Love has the ability to make you whole and allow all of who you are to work together as one, divine entity.

Love is like a content sigh and a smile from the deepest part of your being.

Love is always worth it... always...

Day 233- Halo

Beyonce station on Pandora for the win...

"Remember those walls I built?  Well, baby they're tumbling down, and they didn't even put up a fight, they didn't even make up a sound.  I found a way to let you in, but I never really had a doubt.  Standing in the light of your halo - I got my angel now."  You know I'm a fan of walls coming down and love being an agent of healing in someone's life/heart.  And in this situation, it seems as if it wasn't even a struggle.  The person just seemed to fit and work so well that the walls didn't even find the strength to fight back.  Despite prior hurt, it just seemed natural to let the person in.  I guess the halo helped... :)  When she recognizes the presence of a divinely-inspired person in her life, she was open and let the love happen and heal her.
"It's like I've been awakened - every rule I had you break it. It's the risk that I'm taking. I ain't never gonna shut you out.  Everywhere I'm looking now, I'm surrounded by your embrace. Baby, I can see your halo.  You know you're my saving grace.  You're everything I need and more.  It's written all over your face.  Baby, I can feel your halo. Pray it won't fade away. I can feel your halo halo halo.  I can see your halo."  When you find real love, it's like everything changes.  The rules and restrictions you had in place tend to fade in the face of love, because they are probably more superficial than anything else.  She's now taken this love into her heart, and she's not letting go.  The walls will no longer be in effect.  This love is so deep and pervasive that she sees and feels it everywhere.  This love has basically saved her life (emotionally), and she is appreciative, understanding how essential it is to her now.  She can see and feel the strength of love as it emanates from her love's aura, and she prays that it will remain a positive, healing influence in her life.
"Hit me like a ray of sun burning through my darkest night.  You're the only one that I want.  Think I'm addicted to your light.  I swore I'd never fall again, but this don't even feel like falling.  Gravity can't forget to pull me back to the ground again."  The warmth of love has brought light and life into her previously dark emotional space.  That light has become her source of sustenance, and she now refuses to be without it.  Even though life and heartbreak had convinced her not to even attempt love again, she has now been touched and embraced in such a way that she didn't even feel like she "fell in love."  It's as if love opened its arms and she walked in.  She feels so free that it's like flying, and she needs gravity to keep her from floating off into space.

Day 232 - I'm Coming Out

So, as I was looking through my Facebook news feed, I discovered that today is National Coming Out Day.  Being that many of the people close to me are represented in some way or other by the letters LGBT (and the other letters that may go along with that), I figured it was only right to say something.  This song seems appropriate, and even though that's not what she was singing about, the idea is similar. 

"I'm coming out - I want the world to know, got to let it show. I'm coming out - I want the world to know, I got to let it show."  I think this song is applicable in anyone's life.  Because of the nature of life and outside influences, we all need to be able to break of the things that bind us and hold us down from time to time, be it systemic challenges, personal traumas, unsupportive environments, etc.  After much hiding, there are times when we want/need to just bust out and say, 'this is me.'  While this isn't always a safe thing in every arena of life, we should at least have spaces where we can do this.  And with today being National Coming Out Day, even if you're not of the LGBT community, take the cue and feel empowered to live out loud a little more authentically.
"There's a new me coming out, and I just had to live, and I wanna give. I'm completely positive. I think this time around I am gonna do it like you never do it, like you never knew it.  Ooh, I'll make it through."  When you feel empowered and strong in who you are, it can inspire you to want to live and be positive.  You have a confidence and a strength that pushes you to live and be free.  When you feel free, you do more and try more things, especially when you've experienced oppression in some form.  Freedom can bring about positive energy and drive.  It can also bring a creativity and a desire to see others freed.
"The time has come for me to break out of the shell. I have to shout that I'm coming out!"  What else can I say about this line?  When the time comes, you will feel it, and you will be unable to hold it in.  Embrace your desire to break out and live as fully and freely as you can.
"I've got to show the world all that I wanna be and all my abilities. There's so much more to me. Somehow, I have to make them just understand.  I got it well in hand, and, oh, how I've planned. I'm spreadin' love. There's no need to fear, and I just feel so glad every time I hear..."  While we can often be judged (and judge others) based on appearance and perception, there is an amazing amount of depth and complexity to everyone.  Even the simplest person has a story, gifts, passions, fears, beliefs, and so much more.  Though we can sometimes shrink back from showing all this, and I think Marianne Williamson does well to explain why - "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." - we have to be willing to stand up for ourselves and spread our wings.  In embracing who we are, we love ourselves and are better able to love the world around us.  We have no need to fear who we are, and we have to share that level of comfort with others.  People often fear what they don't understand, but that's why days like today are essential - when we are intentional about sharing dialogue and talking honestly with people, we can break down those barriers that divide us and create a greater, more loving human community.
Now, I'm not stupid enough to say that you should openly and freely share all of yourself with everyone you meet, because there are definitely some risks associated with that.  What I am saying is that if you have no other empowered space, you should be empowered in your own life and mind.  Even if you are an oppressed minority, hold your head high, knowing your own self worth, not allowing society or its limitations to inform your view of yourself.  And continue to fight and be an advocate for yourself and/or others who are in some way oppressed.  One way of becoming liberated is to help liberate someone else.  
So, come out!

Day 231 - Change

I have recently discovered this song, and it makes me happy.  The chorus is reminiscent of a song from the movie "Phenomenon" that I haven't seen in years but that I still remember.  This version of the song carries a beautiful message, and I'm excited to write about it.

"I'll do anything for you.  For you I'll change the world.  No more wars, no more poverty, no more hurt, no more pain.  You showed me how to love you again.  For you I change the world. "  This is the spoken portion at the beginning of the song.   It speaks to a personal love, but it has the vision and foresight to look at how a relationship can apply to the broader world.  Love can be a powerful motivator, and it can push us to do more than just hold hands with the person we love.  The fact that this person has shown the artist how to love again is a powerful thing, because there's nothing like gaining renewed life as it relates to one's heart and being able to see love again after your heart has been broken or hurt.

"If I could change the world, I would be the sunlight in your universe.  You would think my love was really something good, baby, if I could change, if I could change the world."  I love the chorus.  It reflects the earlier song, which sparks memories for me.  It also applies the love for someone close to us to how we live our life in a greater context.  The desire to change the world as a means of showing love is a grand idea which shows the size of love at its full potential.

"There would be no more wars.  Opportunity knockin on doors for us, for us.  Nobody hatin on each other.  Fighters turn into lovers for us, for us.  Oh when the moonlight turns to sunshine, everybody waking up to a better dream, cuz everybody need what they want but don't want want they need.  Let's talk about unity."  In his vision of the world shaped by his love, people would be more loving and better able to fulfill their dreams.  They would come together in love and unity, understanding what they need (love, connection) and not just what they want (wealth).
"If I could change the world, I'd ordered the line to be erased at the border this day.  Everyone deserves an opportunity. There'd be no new world order.  Nobody would've never got slaughtered that way .  There'd be so much more love and unity.  Daughters will be close to they mothers, sons are being raised by their fathers today today.  A good family - ain't nothing greater.  Race crimes, hate crimes would never exist.  I'll turn every bullet to a hershey's kiss (kiss) and we can eat away our fears (fears)."  This singer envisions people being able to come to America, the land of opportunity, because he feels that everyone should have a chance to have the best.  The political system would be one that doesn't call for genocide and fighting.  Instead, life would be based on the family unit where parents care for their children and share in loving relationship, because a good family environment (no matter what that family looks like) is an important base for a good future.  And there wouldn't be hate crimes, because there'd be no hate.  In fact, we'd all relate inn love as sweet as chocolate.
"There would be no self hate.  We would all have to love everything about ourselves so we can love everyone else.  Nothing would hold us down because we'd all walk around with a smile and never a frown and that will remove the clouds.  There'll be no more self-loathing.  Everyone will know in their hearts that they just fine and that's when the light's gonna shine.  Everyone will understand that in order to have some peace you must believe, believe the best in you."  Not only would people love each other, but we would learn what it means to love ourselves in a meaningful way.  We would accept ourselves fully, which will go a long way in helping as to accept others as well.  We would have the inner strength to affirm ourselves and others, living at peace within and without.

Day 230 - Flaws and All

When I heard this song by Beyonce, it got me thinking....  I appreciate the reality of it and the way she did the video.  While we can play dress up and act impressive, eventually those walls and guards come down, and we all have our stuff with us.  But to find someone who sees that stuff and loves you anyway...  Priceless....  Let's get into the song.
"I'm a train wreck in the morning. I'm a b***h in the afternoon. Every now and then without warning, I can be really mean towards you. I'm a puzzle, yes indeed. Ever complex in every way, and all the pieces aren't even in the box, and yet, you see the picture clear as day."  The beautiful reality is that every person alive, no matter how awesome or how famous or how outwardly beautiful, can be quite a mess.  And at times, we can all be a little bit crazy and incomplete and puzzling.  But I've come to see that God blesses us with people who have the ability to see the mess of the puzzle pieces as well as the finished product of what the picture should (and hopefully will) be.  Such people are true blessings and can change our lives if we let them.

"I don't know why you love me,and that's why I love you. You catch me when I fall. Accept me flaws and all, and that's why I love you."  When we see the confusing, complex, complication that we are, we can often find it difficult to contend with ourselves.  But to find someone else who can see that much of us and still make the decision to love and stick with us... that seems even more rare.  But when we do, it's not hard to love that person simply because they find the time and strength to love us in spite of and walk with us through our stuff.  When someone loves us, it can open our heart to them, and that opening is what allows healing and the other benefits of relationship to take place. 

"I neglect you when I'm working. When I need attention, I tend to nag. I'm a host of imperfection, and you see past all that. I'm a peasant by some standards, but in your eyes, I'm a queen. You see potential in all my flaws, and that's exactly what I mean."  Love recognizes the flaws, the imperfections, the insecurities, and the quirks, but it takes all those as part of the complete package.  And love sees the package as beautiful.  While not everything is perfect, love takes the time to care and even to help someone with the flaws and issues, because love wants you to grow and be better even while loving you just as you are.

Day 229 - Rain

Rain

So, in the past few days, there has been quite a bit of rain. It seems that every time I would look outside, bits of Heaven would be falling. This was even the case as I went for my walk/jog the other day. When I left the house, it was just cloudy, but halfway into the second lap, I was being accompanied by water from the sky. In the midst of the heat and humidity, the drops of refreshment were a welcome change.
Now, for the longest time, I didn’t like the rain. It was an inconvenience that I simply didn’t want to deal with. It makes people drive slower (but typically worse, which makes no sense). It doesn’t typically allow kids to play outside. It makes the ground muddy and messy. And for people of the female variety, it can do a number on our freshly done hair. While I understood that rain was necessary to water the earth’s vegetation and to provide water for the animals, I wasn’t able to see beyond its minor inconveniences (there may be a sermon in there somewhere, but I’m not going there right now).
But, having lived a little more and looked beyond the minor details, having experienced the refreshment of the rain and having talked to several others, I now appreciate the joy that rain can bring. To give this broader application, I wanna say that the rain is like so much of life. I’m not naïve enough to say that every part of life is magical and wonderful all the time, but I am saying that so much of that which we view negatively can be seen positively if we take a minute to reflect and get beyond the minor inconvenience of the moment.
For example, when a relationship ends, we tend to see it as a bad thing, because there is typically hurt and pain associated. At the time, we don’t usually see any positive or potential for growth and joy. But if we take the time to heal, we can find ourselves stronger and wiser because of the experience. And we venture into new relationships and experiences, we can apply what we’ve learned from the previous experience (in a healthy way, not in an emotional baggage, relationship-killing, bitter way). And if/when we happen to find someone new who is more loving and complementary to us, then the fact that the previous relationship is a blessing, because it opened the door and the space for this new relationship to be a possibility.
Should we go through life with rose-colored glasses, seeing everything as butterflies and chocolate chip cookies? No. But looking for a positive, life-affirming spin on things can make a major difference in our everyday lives. So grab your umbrella (or not) and meet me outside – I think I see some clouds… :-)