June 29th

WOW! I am so excited to learn this process is already having a positive influence on people.  The biggest effect for me so far, has been an inner sense of calm.  While I remain far from perfect, I have the strong sense of an inner focus that is guiding me in making my choices.  It is very cool!
I'm going to continue to embrace the quote that I shared the other day... I think there is so much to the idea of love not being blind, but seeing everything, and still choosing to see less than everything.  The idea of love and grace is not one that I have explored too much in the past. I believe that I have chosen, at times, to get too caught up in little negative things that really aren't important in the end.... someone once advised us not to "sweat the small stuff" right?? 

Day Three

I am thrilled to hear that some people have read my post and are excited about spreading the love!! Welcome to my first two followers:)

Since I launched this blog, I have to admit that the familiar enemies have change have been clinging to me... doubt and fear!! 
I'm suddenly afraid that I'll have nothing of value to write here... or that I won't have time... or that I'll fail to make any significant difference.... or.... or .... or.... why is it that I am so reluctant to be all that I can be??

Interesting...

I found a quote today that really caught my attention: Love is not blind - it sees more, not less. But because it sees more, it is willing to see less. ~Julins Gordon

What do you think of this? It made me stop dead in my tracks of trying to be perfect in this pursuit and just to move past fear and doubt... and to remember that love overcomes fear and doubt everytime. 

This reminded me that love is willing (perhaps can't help but) to look past imperfections and annoyances... so for today, I will have more patience and more concern for others... that is the focus for today:)

Day Two

I think that the best thing I can do today to be more loving is to go to bed now... It would be easy to stay up for another 2 hours trying to get everything done... but I suspect that sleep is a key ingredient for me:) Off to bed!!

Day One

So this is my first official day one, and was brave enough to come out of the closet and advertise my blog to friends on Facebook... thanks for visiting!

Today is Sunday...I woke up at home alone, since my husband and two kids were away overnight so I could have a girls night. 

Perhaps that will be one of my guiding principles in living love... to always make time for friends and to always make a bit of time just for myself to be alone and relax...because both seem to have made me feel like a more relaxed and loving person today.  The kids are relaxed and we have just had some fun playing a making crafts....  living in the moment and not worrying about what is coming ahead.  An easy day to start and a good one:)

A thought on friends... since I am blessed to have some wonderful ones.  I've often wondered what the best ways are to show love for friends? Time spent together, a listening ear, gifts, laughter shared over food, a decision not to criticize when it would be all too easy??  A little grace and a lot of forgiveness? And a good heaping portion of fun.... I think I prefer time and a good laugh together... that makes me feel loved. Oh yeah... and honesty... there is nothing like having special people in your life with whom you can be utterly honest.  Thanks friends!

To Start....

Hello:)

I'm not yet sure who will read this, and it is unfortunate to say that I have thought about writing a blog for many years now, but never did because I didn't know who would ever want to read it.  Today, however, I have decided to begin the blogging process just for me.  And, if my process helps you along the way, then I am grateful that I was brave enough to give this a try.

The reason for my blog? I want to live more love in my everyday life.  I want to learn more about what it is to love and to be loved, and to see how living love can change my world.  From learning to love myself more, to learning to love others, I just can't help but feel that if there was more love, the world would be a better place.

You might call this a spiritual journey, and I believe you would be right, since I believe that the greatest calling we have is to love. 

But it is also just a journey to learn how to be a better parent, a better spouse, a better friend, a better neighbour, a better self. 

I want to know... could I make a real difference in the lives of my husband and children if I could learn to respond to them in love, even when I am frustrated or angry?  Could I make more of a difference to my friends, my community? Could I finally overcome depression or lose those troublesome pounds if I could learn to treat myself with more love?

Don't get me wrong - there is a lot of love in my life right now, but somehow, I feel like I have been missing a "moral compass" of sorts at times.

Recently, two inspirations touched my life.  The first was an affirmation from the AuraStella jewellry catalogue, "I let my inner star guide me.  I am a shining example of love and light".  I loved this quote, and started to ask myself, do I really feel like that shining example of love and light? And the answer was simply that I believed I could do better.

And then this one, "Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier.
~Mother Teresa".  Read that one again. 

I am a grand-daughter, daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, cousin, friend, neighbour, business associate, team leader, employee.... you get it right? I am so many things to so many people, and at the end of the day, I am a leader.  I touch lives everyday.  I have the power to influence and to change the world.  AND SO DO YOU.  We all have that power. 

And so, it is with this understanding, and the firm conviction that this is why I am here on the planet, that I have decided to dedicate the next year of my life to living love. 

I'm scared that I won't be able to live up to the big task.
I'm not even sure how I should do it.
I'm nervous about what it might mean and how I might have to change.

But, I'm also convinced that it is not an option.  I am convinced that this is too important a mission to ignore.  If, for no other reason than to launch my children into a world of love, then, I cannot afford to fail. 

Would you like to live love with me?