LIVE LOVE.

Right now I'm only moderately exhausted, compared to my usual state of being completely exhausted. I had a good morning... slow, mellow, not very productive (my favorite kind). This afternoon I found myself in a dentist's waiting room reading back issues of Oprah's O magazine. I came across a little nugget of wisdom that so far has stayed with me through the rest of my day. Perhaps writing about it now will further deepen it within the recesses of my mind, enabling me to actually benefit and learn from the statement that originally caught my eye and made me ponder for a moment the meaning of life.

So what is this nugget of wisdom, this veritable gem of knowledge that inspired me to dust off a blog which I have not posted to for almost an entire year? It's a doozy of simplicity and punch all packed into one easy, concise thought:

"Every year should teach you something valuable; whether you get the lesson is up to you. Every year brings you closer to expressing your whole and healed self."

I know this doesn't sound as earth shattering as it may have been built up to be. But as I read it this afternoon I was really struck by the power of age and experience, and how you can either be open to learning and aging or you can hide from your personal truths and lessons life keeps sending your way until you finally accept them. And I loved the phrase "your whole and healed self."

What does this have to do with Loveology? I believe that before we can be successful in love and relationships we have to be able to love ourselves. We have to stop running ourselves down, talking trash about ourselves. We HAVE to talk to ourselves the same way we'd talk to our best friends. If our best friend was going through a rough time we wouldn't tell them they were being stupid and that they needed to get their shit together and stop being so pathetic. OF COURSE WE WOULDN'T DO THAT! We'd be supportive and loving to them. We'd let them know that we're always there for them, no matter what. Unfortunately, most women don't talk to themselves the way they'd talk to their best friend. We cut ourselves down, we are hypercritical of ourselves.

LIVE LOVE. It's my motto, it's my belief, my raison d'etre. Live it for yourself every minute of every day and see how much better you start to feel and look!

One of my favorite films ever made is V for Vendetta. I know this might seem odd, but let me explain. There is a scene where Evie (played by Natalie Portman) is reading a letter written on very papery-like toilet paper that was passed to her in the prison she's being held. This last part of the letter says everything I feel and believe in. The last part of the heartbreaking letter reads,

"I shall die here. Every inch of me shall perish. Every inch.
But one.
An inch.
It is small and it is fragile, and it is the only thing in the world worth having. We must never lose it or give it away. We must never let them take it from us.
I hope that - whoever you are - you escape this place. I hope that the world turns, and that things get better.
But what I hope most of all is that you understand what I mean when I tell you that even though I do not know you, and even though I may not meet you, laugh with you, cry with you, or kiss you: I love you.
With all my heart.
I love you.
-Valerie."

I may not know you, but I love you. We are all equals in life and love. We are all making our way through our days.

A friend of mine posted on his Facebook wall today, "The 2 simple rules of life:
#1. Identify what’s most important to you.
#2. Eliminate everything else."

Go out and do some loving, for yourself and for others. <3