I was inspired by another friend's blog the other day. It was a simple list of things she loves. Food, places, people, activities, etc. Something about it caught my attention and I decided that I'd like to use the "L" word more often. So here's a short love list plus some related thoughts. I love this rain and that it's melting the snow ice from the street in front of my house. I love the fact that days are getting longer again, and maybe spring will arrive early this year to make up for last year. I love my toys - motorcycles, ropes, skis, cameras, and sailboat even though it's comfortable and stable and not a sleek 35' racer. I shoveled the snow off it today, as if I'll be needing it soon. Maybe I should have done that long ago. When you love something, you should automatically be motivated to take care of it. I love my family and realized last week how special they are. Not just my siblings, but all my cousins and other relatives, too. There's a nobility about them, was the word that came to mind; they're courageous and strong and generous and almost always do the right thing. There are only a few things that I'm sufficiently proud of to let them become a part of my identity, and my family is one of them. I love my friends and am so grateful for how thoughtful and giving they are. I appreciate their unique qualities and strong motivation that they spend in various ways. I love the good times and memories we have and look forward to many, many more. I love life and this fascinating, imperfect world. I used to often get impatient with it - wishing everybody would open up and trust more, be more genuine, take more risks, have more fun, etc. I wanted everything to move faster, go deeper, shine brighter. I wanted more excellence and intensity. I guess I still do, but I also recognize that not only is the world the way it is, and wishing won't change it, but these "imperfections" create challenges that can be fun to take on, rewarding to win at, and that I was missing important lessons by trying to change everything rather than slowing down and taking in things as they are. I love nature and beauty and creativity and spontaneity and pizza. I love running and inspiration and God and camping and mountains and rivers and people with curiosity and determination. I love dusk and starlight and languages and cultures and girls and waking up slowly when there's nowhere I have to be. Some people (unconsciously, myself included; until now, I hope) don't think much about love because they're busy observing and reacting to whatever happens to land in front of their eyes as the days slide on by. They're "realists." They know about suffering and aren't afraid to acknowledge it. They're not about to get all Polly Anna-like and induce denial and self-deception by ignoring unpleasant realities and pretending all is peachy. The truth is that whatever perception they have is just a perception, and their choice to reinforce and perpetuate whichever perception they happen to have is no more "true" than first choosing another perception and then reinforcing and perpetuating that one. So we may as well choose something pleasant that will attract the things we want in life. In fact, it's a sign of healthy mental & emotional development to be able to choose what you want and then get it without apology. William F. Perry called this "commitment," and placed it at the end of the path from dualism and through multiplism and relativism. Me? I want to love everything and everyone. I want to be happy. I want the good life. By focusing more on love, I expect to notice it, enjoy it, and create it more abundantly around me. Love, love, love, love, love. I'm on my way.