LOVE IS....

When I was young I thought there were only a few ways to love. Family love, friend love and soul mate love. But now that I am in my 40’s I realize there are so many different ways to love another human being. And there are so many people in my life that I can now say that love dearly.

 I love the little things about people in my life, their sweet and unique qualities that make them so endearing to me. I am not discriminatory, the people that I hold dear are of all ages and all walks of life. I have friends on Facebook that I haven’t seen in 10-15 years and some that I haven’t seen in over 30 years. But they are just as close as if they lived down the street. I love that they are there… when I need them to share the good and bad. Just the moral support they give is priceless. I love these friends and they are extremely close to my heart.

One of my closest friends is many years my senior. For the past 14 years they have been in my life every day. This is one of those special loves. Some would say I have daddy issues and that is the reason I feel so attached to this person, and that may be partially true but I think I am too old for daddy issues. I already have a wonderful surrogate daddy so I don’t need another. I feel this person is truly my friend. I know could call them at any time and they would be there to help. There is a comfort in knowing you have a friend with the resources to pull off the impossible should you ever need it; which I hope I never have the need. When my mother was in the hospital they checked on me every day – twice a day at least. When she passed I had a good sturdy shoulder standing by if I needed it. That is priceless to me.. There are only a handful of people in my life that I would be devastated to lose. My mother, obviously was one. This special friend of mine is another.

I have more fantastic girlfriends than I have ever had at one time in my life. Each one is exceptional in their own way and I treasure them. The one I have had the longest is one I hope I will always have. We still can read each other’s thoughts and can bust out laughing for reasons only we can understand. I have other girlfriends that are such positive and encouraging moral support that if I don’t talk to them at least 6 days out of 7 I can feel myself slipping into a bottomless pit crankiness. All my girlfriends are such a joy for me. They are with me all the time, at work, at church, during the week and on the weekends. I love them dearly. We have our own jokes and laughing at ourselves and those around us is when we are at our best. There is nothing better than laughing so hard you are wiping your eyes while you almost wet your pants.

My family is the biggest love I have. My love for my hubby and my kids is unlike anything I have ever known. As I get older I try to treasure the little things and make memories that will last a lifetime for us all. My extended, acquired and adopted family becomes more important every day. These are the loves that carry me through the rough patches and the joys of life. They share the happy times, sad times, stressful times and all the ins and outs of everyday life. I appreciate them for all their idiosyncrasies and craziness for they are always there. I once heard that southerners are supposed to appreciate their crazy people, sit them on the porch and hand them a glass of sweet tea. If that is true my porch is full, including me, and we are all enjoying the sunshine and a cold beverage.

Life is short… sometimes shorter than we would like to think and if I have learned anything the month of April 2014 it is to make the most of every minute you have with those you love. Make sure they know you love them and slow down… it is the little things you will remember and the way you love those close to you will be the way they remember you.