the greatest of these

Today is hibernate and play spa day on the lane, a gift to myself on this day of love. I have found that doing things like that on a regular basis as an act of self love give me more energy to love others, some of whom are downright unlovable. Since I rarely stay up long enough to see live shows, it's a chance to catch up with the Botwins and Chelsea while cleaning house and whatnot. Meanwhile, thousands of florists are working 24/7 to prove that love is still alive.

As long as I can remember, my mother has made her iced sugar cookies for us on V-day. Shaped like a heart made with real butter and vanilla, they are better than ten pounds of chocolate. Miss Faye made some yesterday, cut out in precise heart shapes and iced in pink sugar and my daddy just delivered them on his gator right to my front door. His next stop was at the mayor's house so that Mozella can have some sweets for the sweet too. I'm so glad he still has transportation and I didn't have to get out of my jammies to pick them up!

I'm not really sure what love is. Like many people who "think too much" I try to meet folks where they are and form a relationship based on the present rather than the past. I believe in love as a verb, requiring commitment and fidelity and trust. When any of those are missing? It just doesn't work out. Love is patient and kind and sometimes gets pissed off as hell because people won't listen to reason or face their demons. But when they don't, I'm not an active participant anymore because above all I need the truth. That I was given this by the last person that I loved is bittersweet but also very appreciated. No need in wasting time on something that's not gonna work out. It takes two, they say.

I love my family, which includes all three dogs, the cat and the horse who roams wherever and whenever he pleases. I love music and would be in serious trouble if I didn't have that to feed my soul. I suppose I must love writing since I do it every day, even though sometimes it's just me working out the issues du jour. I love spirituality and I am struggling to find middle ground for my Christian loving soul to make peace with "the church." From what I see of them at this point with their lobbying power and such, it's a stretch. Separation of church and state. It was quite clear when written by our forefathers.

I remember listening to the chatter about the money changing of my mother church back when I was beginning to become involved in the political process that is UM. Shocked and horrified as people jumped from bleachers at conventions to get attention for their cause, I witnessed my own home church out a perfectly nice gentleman from our pews because he was gay. Each district has regular meetings at which multiple laws and out-laws are passed, but in the end it usually comes down to the apportionment of the parishioner's dollar. I still love the concept of a warming of the soul that John Wesley felt at some friend's share session in England centuries ago. The quad goes like this: reason, tradition, experience and the word. In no particular order, ya'll.

Iced sugar cookie hearts for everybody!