TALKING ABOUT LOVE IN ITS MANY FORMS

People say they love..something, someone, a pet, nature, their favorite "anything." That always makes me wonder what does love represent? How is expressed, what forms of love are there?

What about those that are in a loving relationship...but then it falls apart and then they say they no longer love that person anymore. How does a person fall out of "love" when it is the spiritual essence within so many things. I can see that a person who hurts, disappoints or betrays us creates a myriad of emotions other than love...but what happened to the core of whatever brought you together in the first place?

Can we allow ourselves to consider that on some level we will always love the person because of what being with them taught us about ourselves and each other? Times changes everything and we may no longer like how we feel when we are with them but are we able to forgive and accept the gems within the relationship?

I know from my life path that people come into my life for a reason, season or lifetime and when loving relationships end I am still grateful for what the experience gave me...and that includes the pain. We are all spiritually connected and there is a part of you in me and a part of you in me. If we could all remember that maybe we could see more of a motto David and I live by...and that is to "Love More!"

When we consider who and what we love or what loving someone or being loved brings to our lives it seems more precious. I know it is possible to feel loved whether we're in a partnered relationship or not because I have lived both ways. It comes from opening to love from life, from spiritual beliefs if you have them, from pets, the community or just a deep-seated sense of knowing that we are all interconnected within the web of life. We know there is romantic love...but what other types are there? Does the essence of love remain even if it takes different forms? This is a fascinating subject and one that is hard to define.

I'll give you a little clue to my view of love. In my view love is more than three words mumbled before bedtime. in know for sure that it is sustained by action that walks the talk. It is a pattern of devotion in the things we do for each other every day and those daily acts can build love or alter it dramatically. It is a transformative power that respects differences and shows compassion for others. It uplifts, upholds and causes harm to none.

This is true of partners, friends, pets, in the natural world and most everything else. I also believe we "train" people how to treat us and healthy loving relationships have to combine boundaries, mutual respect and ability to disagree and handle conflicts as they come up rather than denying they are there in order for it to thrive rather than just survive.