Love arrives in Venice Beach

love is the cherry blossoms around the tidal basin in washington, d.c.

It's "What do you love?" Friday

Its "What do you love?" Friday, my weekly pause and invitation to acknowledge love or loves or loved in our lives. This weekly practice of documenting love in my life and prompting myself to reflect is a little like owning special eyeglasses that allow the myriad threads of love to become visible.

This week, I love you for reminding me that on the other side of fear is an ocean of love. And for the hula hoop - because sometimes life requires serious dancing and hip shaking.

It's Friday. What do you love?

A great love

He has a great love for his daughter.

I came to believe this from a distance and without many details; just brief observations during the transitions of sometimes frenetic school activities. He was always there, calm and quiet.  His eyes shown with delight while his mustache partially obscured his peaceful, warm smile whenever his daughter spoke or he spoke about her. I admire his particular calm, inner strength and what feels like parenting as a peaceful devotion to what might be.

This week in a flash interaction during a time when most of us were frazzled to the point of barely cordial, I looked up to see this man extend the same peaceful devotion to what might be to my daughter.  It was a genuine, humble act of generosity.  My daughter glowed in response and as we walked away she explained, "He is always like that." Simultaneously, I felt goose bumps rise on my arms and tiny tears form behind my eyes.  I also felt like skipping. Simply observing this interaction had a contagious effect - the wonder of humanity and delight with life rippled.

He does have a great love for his daughter, there is no doubt.

But the larger truth is - he has a great heart.

What do you love? Friday

It's Friday. What do you love? This is our weekly pause to reflect on love in its various forms around us. At times gratitude, at times hope, at times devotion - the process of inventorying the love around me helps me recognize love.  Hello, Love!

Today I love your generous heart.  You share with a smile, you give freely, you are thoughtful, you listen, you pause to include.  Thank you for yummy brunch and sharing your heart.

It's Friday. What do you love?

finding your love in Newark, CA

One weekend adventure took us to a suburb between San Francisco and San Jose - Newark, CA. I was looking for places to post the love but it seems most folks were driving and not walking.  That with the gusty wind made it hard to find suitable locations.

Then, I pulled into a dirt parking area next to the train tracks to turn around.  We spied a tumbleweed literally blowing down the tracks perfectly - just like a movie.  "Hey kids, a tumbleweed!"  Small people want to get out of the car and touch the tumbleweed; there was some discussion about building a figure out of tumbleweeds until the prickley texture dissuaded further interest.  Parked for the tumbleweed adventure a chain link fence between the car and the tumbleweeds, I saw photos and ephemera hanging from the fence with plastic ties.  Immediately I got out of the car - I had to know more - these are my people, I thought.

I discovered a thoughtfully detailed memorial to a man taken before his time (I recognize that grief and longing for more). He was a tow truck driver, Elvis impersonator, and clearly beloved.  A laminated note from his mom thanked whomever for the use of the fence as a memorial location and gave a telephone number for anyone with questions or concerns.

I hung my "i love you, too" sign between her note and the wreath.

One of the things I love about travel (even a short road trip) is being lost.  But even better is the feeling of being found - finding yourself in just the right place.

With thanks to the wind and tumbleweeds, the weekend adventure now felt complete.

loving in you London

Love @ 35K feet

My love for you is flying high (somewhere in the air space over Europe, to be exact.)

the story behind the heART: Expect Great Things

This sign is for my newly-teenage daughter.
Dear Missy:
The seeds you plant are the flowers you pick later. Expect great things!
Great things are coming your way, baby, and if you have your eyes wide
open looking for them and your arms open ready to embrace them you
will soon find yourself giddy with delight at what this world has
planned for you.
Love you,
Mama

What do you love? Friday

It's Friday. What do you love?

I take this space to pause and reflect for a moment on the people, places, things, experiences I'm loving.

This week I love the memories we've created. I moved papers around on the refrigerator this week and found the original i love you, too note with one tab left.  Sweet memory of the summer fun that turned in to this all-the-time-loving-you experience.

We also enjoyed watching family movies, pouring through scrapbooks, and looking at old letters and (love) notes.  These proofs of love make me smile.

It's Friday. What do you love?

In case of emergency

My love is there for you.

Love on the line: Valencia