You can be alone AND happy on Valentine’s Day!

We all need love and the purpose of Valentine’s Day is to share our love with each other.  Unfortunately, some people are alone at this time of year, either by choice or circumstance.  They may be dealing with a failed relationship, the loss of family members or a move to a new location.  Whatever the reason, some people find themselves without someone who can give them love or receive love and this can result in feelings of loneliness, unhappiness, unworthiness and even failure.

Society certainly doesn’t make it easy for anyone to enjoy the day without feeling that something is missing.   Big red hearts and advertising are everywhere.  But you don’t have to feel lonely and sad on Valentine’s Day.  You can celebrate the day by looking at things with a different perspective.  Here are some ideas:

• First, realize that this is just another day.  It is nice to be reminded about love because we don’t always take time in our everyday busy lives to even think about it, but we shouldn’t just focus on one day to show our love for others.  Take this day to think about the people in your life who could use some love – family, friends, co-workers, neighbours – and consider how you can show some kindness to them.  Actually sit down and make a list of things you could do throughout the year to make their lives better.
• Call someone you haven’t talked to for a while.  Is there a family member that you haven’t communicated with recently.  What about an estranged friend?  If you live close by, invite them to meet you for coffee.  Maybe they are as lonely as you are.
• Celebrate the day on your own and enjoy your own company.  You really don’t have to be a couple on Valentine’s Day!  This is just something that we are led to believe that isn’t true.  There is nothing wrong with being alone sometimes.  People who are super-busy with family and work would love to trade places with you for a few days and have some peace and quiet.   Read a good book or watch a movie.  Do something you like!  Or take a nice walk and enjoy the beautiful scenery.
• Buy yourself a Valentine gift.  Yes, you can indulge yourself in a box of chocolates or candies.  Just don’t go overboard and spend too much money or overeat those sweets.  Get some colourful flowers to brighten your kitchen table.  There is nothing wrong with being good to yourself.   We are all special and we should be nice to ourselves as well as others.

Keep in mind that many people who buy gifts for their loved ones are just doing it because it is expected and not because they are showing their love.  Soon after Valentine’s Day is over, the love is gone and they have gone back to their old habits of being inconsiderate and unkind.  Showing love for just one day is so unimportant, showing love everyday is what is important.

YOU can be alone and happy on Valentine’s Day.  It is all a matter of perspective.  Don’t be upset if you are alone for this one day of the year.  There are 364 more days coming where you can work on building some great relationships.  YOU can be the Valentine in someone’s life every day of the year.  Be the person who is able to love and accept themselves for who they are and pass that love on to other people.

So what are you doing on Valentine’s Day?

What does love mean to you?

February is the month when we are reminded to love each other.  We see Valentine cards, candy, flowers and all sorts of advertising that penetrate your thoughts with ideas of love.  Even if we are angry or upset with our loved ones, we often overlook these things for a short period of time to bring them gifts or give them a much-needed hug.

So why do we need something to remind us that we should be showing love to others?  We should be walking in love every day of the year, not just Valentine’s day.

Love is powerful and it has a positive effect on ourselves and others.  Love is the glue that can hold families and friendships together.  Love allows us to help other people and this creates a feeling of happiness for everyone.

Let’s start our love walk today!  Let’s start showing kindness to everyone we meet.  Let’s start a kindness ripple in the world.  Are you walking in love?  Are you putting the needs of others before your own?

Love is patient, love is kind………….

Tomorrow is Valentine’s Day

How do you celebrate Valentine’s Day?  Is it a special day for you or is it just another day?

Every year on February 14th, many people give cards, candy, flowers or some special gift to show a loved one how much they care.   Spouses or friends may arrange to have a special meal or a night out to celebrate this event.  Images of hearts and red flowers are seen in stores, restaurants and other public places.  Some people even choose to get married on Valentine’s Day.

It is great to see people engaging in loving activities but it seems such a shame that it only lasts for a day or so.  Many people have to be reminded to show love to the people around them and once Valentine’s Day is over, the love gets put on the back burner until next year.  Love should be a habit that we live every day.  We should make our loved ones feel special every day, not just one day a year.

Everyone has a love language – something that makes them feel special and important.  We often give love to others using our own love language and this doesn’t work very well.   We may feel loved when someone gives us a gift, but they may feel loved when we do something nice for them.  So if we give them a gift, they may not feel the love we want to share with them.  We need to find out what their love language is and try to show love to them every day.  By showing continuous love, it will make your relationships stronger,  it will make your marriage better and you will be happier!  Here are the 5 different love languages (as found in the book by Gary Chapman, The 5 Love Languages):

• words of affirmation – encouragement, supporting and caring words
• acts of service – doing something nice, a helping hand
• receiving gifts – choosing something they like
• quality time – spending time
• physical touch – hug, kiss, gentle touch, high-five, handshake

You can visit the following website to discover what your love language is….www.5lovelanguages.com

Are you walking in love?

This is the month that everyone is talking about love.  The problem is we aren’t all walking in love.  We want others to show love to us but we don’t always show love to others.  If we want to receive love we have to give love.

Love is powerful and it has a positive effect on ourselves and others.    Love is important because it gives meaning and purpose to life.  Love is rewarding because it allows us to help others and in turn makes us feel good about ourselves.  Love is like a glue that can hold families and friendships together.

Are you walking in love or do you just talk about it?

• Do you show love and kindness to others?
• Are you patient and understanding?
• Are you generous and forgiving?
• Are you putting the needs of others before your own?

 

 

February is the month of love

When February comes, people tend to think about love which can be a happy occasion if you have that ‘special someone” in your life.  Valentine’s Day will be here soon and people are starting to buy cards, gifts and make plans for that special evening.  Of course, if you don’t have a ‘special someone’, this can be a difficult month for you.   I remember my younger years when I didn’t have anyone to share my heart with.   Of course my dad was always really sweet, making sure we all got our special treat on Valentine’s Day.  Then once I was married, I thought everything would be different.  Now I had my real Valentine.   On that special day, my gift was all ready and I wondered what I would receive.  I didn’t realize that every man was not like my day, and I received nothing.  My husband simply had never celebrated Valentine’s Day growing up in his country and this was a custom that he never did follow to this day.   It used to hurt me at first but over the years I began to realize that I placed way too much importance on something so small.  I was surrounded by family that loved me and chocolates would never take their place.

If you have a loved one that doesn’t seem to care about Valentine’s Day, remember that it is just another day.  Don’t let the media make you feel like you are missing out on something.  Getting ‘stuff’ does not show love.  Actions show love.  Why not ask your loved one if they would like to do something special, like going out for dinner or just watching a movie together.  This is so much better than being miserable and you will save money.  You don’t really need that box of chocolates or bunch of flowers.  If you want them that bad, go out and buy some and then share it with your loved one.  There is nothing wrong with pampering yourself, you deserve it!

If you don’t have a loved one this Valentine’s Day, don’t be discouraged or feel depressed.   Why not ask some friends to go out somewhere and celebrate the evening.   You probably know people that are also feeling unloved and need someone to show them that they are important.  Don’t stay home alone and be miserable.  If you are totally alone, make some popcorn and watch a funny movie.  There is nothing wrong with enjoying your own company.  Then get out there and join a group or something and make some friends so you will have someone to spend time with when the next Valentine’s Day rolls around.  Take action and be your own cupid!

Here are some quotes about love…………….

Love is the thing that enables a woman to sing while she mops up the floor after her husband has walked across it in his barn boots. ~Author unknown

You know you’re in love when you don’t want to fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.  ~Dr. Seuss

You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving.  ~Author Unknown

We waste time looking for the perfect lover, instead of creating the perfect love.  ~Tom Robbins

Love is not a matter of what happens in life.  It’s a matter of what’s happening in your heart.  ~Ken Keyes

Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage. ~Lao Tzu

You really shouldn’t say “I love you” unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget. ~Author unknown, attributed to an 8-year-old named Jessica

Love is what makes two people sit in the middle of a bench when there is plenty of room at both ends.  ~Author Unknown

Love is when you can be your true self with someone, and you only want to be your true self because of them. ~Terri Guillemets

It is not necessary to be strong in every place if in the place you are vulnerable, you are loved.  ~Robert Brault

True love is when you put someone on a pedestal, and they fall – but you are there to catch them.  ~Author Unknown

 

 

Valentine fun

Have you ever heard about Lover’s Island?  It is a tiny heart-shaped island in the Adriatic Sea formerly known as Galesnjak .  Since is was discovered on Google Earth, this 130,000 square yard island the owner of this deserted island has been swamped with requests to stay there.  If you are interested in spending Valentine’s Day on this heart-shaped desert island, make sure you take some camping supplies and food with you.  Another thing, it’s pretty cool this time of year, so pack some warm clothing.

HOW TO FIX A MARRIAGE

A couple were having marital problems. They decided together to do the right thing and they contacted a marriage guidance counsellor.

Several visits followed when lots of questions were asked and lots of  listening carried out. Eventually the counsellor felt that he had discovered the main problem. He stood up, went over to the women and asking her to stand up he gave her a huge cuddle.

He turned to the  husband man and said, ‘This is what your wife needs, at least once every day.’   The husband frowned, considered what had been said for a moment, then replied, ‘Ok, what time do you want me to bring her back  tomorrow?’

CHECK OUT THE MARKINGS ON THESE ANIMALS.