Love is...

LOVE IS... By Karen A. Lech Love, what a trip! The emotion that grabs us by the heart and takes us on a roller coaster through life or some period of time. Love makes us senseless, smile more, foolish, starry-eyed, happy to the point of bursting, and can make us cry enough to fill a new ocean. During a conversation recently with a friend of mine, we talked of a woman he heard tell of locally who was having a bad time of it. It seems she and a significant other purchased a beautiful home, which in the area where he lives, is very expensive. The woman and her significant other had been together two years and she discovered he had a problem with gambling, hence was working three jobs to pay the rent, or mortgage, whatever. Evidently, she came from quite a wealthy background and owned a home elsewhere in that province, and had quite an inheritance. My friend was appalled at this, and felt logically she could live very comfortably... why was she doing this? At first, hearing these sketchy details, I thought, wow, why is she doing all this if she really does have such a "financially comfortable" background? It just seemed kind of odd, and with my own financial difficulties, I sympathized to some extent at that moment... until it hit me. There was a reason for her activities, not just financial loss, not just paying the rent...it was LOVE. Probably not just love for the gorgeous house, more likely love for her man. Love can make you do things you would never normally do or logically do. Love is... -accepting those you love despite their faults. -a totally ILLOGICAL and unpredictable grip and trip of your strongest emotions. -going to many or any lengths for another, for the ones you love. Sometimes it hurts and takes spending time, which in these days, people seem to have so little of. -getting a phone call at 10:30 p.m. from a neighbor who says she thinks her appendix burst and taking her to hospital and staying with her through surgery until 2 a.m., even though you have work the next day. - not justifying the time you spend with someone for a mini vacation so you can put the trip on your expense account and do some business while you're there. - holding the hand of a bereaved friend - selling your house so you can use the equity to help your kids get a start, a much needed vehicle. - wanting to be with your loved one as much as possible - so many other things that I could use a forest of trees' worth of paper to keep on going - the warmest feeling you will ever know. To quote a favorite song of mine, the lyrics of which make a lot of sense to me, anyway... "When somebody loves you, it's no good unless they love you... all the way. through the good and lean years and for all the in between years..." Love. .. A rocket ship trip to the moon and stars, a dream come true, sharing and shattering, caring to the fullest extent, putting self on the back burner, and the greatest gift you can give and receive. Thanks for reading! Karen A. Lech copyright 2006