So, what's love got to do with it? Why is it easier to love others than to love ourselves? Why is love the one emotion that is tough and resilient that can weather turbulent storms yet be fragile and vulnerable shattering us into a thousand pieces? Why do we go “looking for love”? Is it even possible to achieve a love of “oneness and connection”, in today’s society?

Love is the invisible thread that weaves through the tapestry of human existence. It shapes our connections, influences our choices, and colors our experiences. Love encompasses a vast spectrum of feelings--from the exhilarating rush of infatuation to the enduring warmth of companionship. Love is a complex and multifaceted emotional energy that defies easy definition. While it can be challenging to put into words, it transcends the boundaries of language, culture, and time.

Love is a concept rich with duality, and it manifests in various forms:

·     Think of the bonds you have to those closest to you. Would you do anything for them? Would you give your life for them? Love is forged with the resilience of iron, enduring the trials of time and adversity; yet can come crashing down like splinters of glass at the slightest mishandling, deception or hurtfulness.

·     Do you care for a loved one who is ill? Healthy love allows individuals to foster interdependence and responsibility when supporting each other in times of need; yet maintain their sense of independence.

·     Are you in a relationship as a couple or in a family unit? Love provides a sense of security and stability, creating a safe space where individuals can express themselves freely. Simultaneously, love demands vulnerability, as it requires opening up emotionally and sharing one's innermost thoughts and feelings.

·     Love involves both giving and receiving. Acts of kindness, affection, and support, when reciprocated, strengthen the connection between individuals.

Love is not isolated to people as those deep feelings of love can apply with our pets. We can also love activities such as traveling or our favorite sport. We can love an idea such as building a vacation home.

As a life coach, I have seen clients who have many people in their lives, yet they still don’t feel loved. Consistently when this happens, they are looking for love outside of themselves—from their pet, partner, spouse, mother or father, etc. They see others to be their source for feeling loved. This is often a journey that is destined to fail. The highest satisfaction of love starts with loving yourself—loving your body, loving your talents, loving your imperfections, loving all of you.

If you don’t feel that type of love for yourself, then consider connecting with your higher mind or soul-self/divine self. When you create a relationship by blending with your soul-self, you begin to feel the energy it emanates…one of feeling loved and supported. Your soul-self IS supporting you from a higher dimension 24x7. It exists in such a high vibrational frequency that when you connect to this part of you, you connect to a level of love that becomes a state of being, that spills over and fosters a higher transcendence within all your relationships.

From this higher perspective, love is a practice of presence and mindful connection. To love is to be fully present, to listen without judgment, and to offer one's undivided attention. Love blossoms when we recognize the beauty and sacredness in each moment, even amidst the mundane.

A lover approaches relationships with the spirit of mindfulness, cultivating deep connections that are nurtured by shared presence. This presence extends not only to human interactions but also to the natural world – the rustling leaves, the babbling brook, and the silent mountains become cherished companions on the path of love.

This form of love revels in the mystery of existence. It acknowledges that love, like life itself, is a journey of discovery and awakening. Every encounter, each smile, and each tear are threads woven into the tapestry of love's enigmatic expression.

For this type of love there is no need for grand gestures or elaborate expressions. Love is found in the simplest moments – a shared cup of tea, a genuine smile, or a compassionate touch. It is a silent understanding that transcends words, reaching the depths of the heart where language falls short.

A person on this journey finds that love is an interconnectedness. This universal love transcends the limitations of ego and embraces the oneness of all things. It is a deep recognition that we are not separate from the world around us; rather, we are an integral part of an interwoven fabric of life.

If you have experienced this level of love, then pat yourself on your back because you are the exception.

So, what does love have to do with it? Everything! It begins with you and expands to all areas of your life and to all reaches of the earth. It is the highest energetic emotion that we feel. It is both vulnerable yet resilient. It is a mindset. It is a shared oneness and an interconnectedness that we experience in our human existence. It all begins, however, with loving yourself!

Note: This article was published in the Villager Spotlight Magazine (September 2023 edition)