Can you be in love? Again…
We generally associate love with another person. A partner. A spouse. Perhaps someone who makes our heart beat a little faster. But could there be more to love? Think about it. You could be in love with the smell of freshly brewed coffee. A particular song, band, jazz With gardening, cooking, travelling, mountain climbing or simply watching the rain from your window. And of course, with people. Perhaps the greatest gift of being human is our ability to fall in love with so many different things. It is so beautifully expressed in this line: "Love is not just about finding someone to share your life with. It is about finding more things in life worth sharing your love with." Consider a man who has been playing tennis every Sunday for years. He loves the game. He loves the familiar faces at the club. He loves the friendly arguments over a disputed line call. Now imagine that same man discovers photography. Suddenly, he is looking at the world differently. A sunset becomes interesting. An ordinary street corner becomes a picture. He finds himself looking forward to something new. Nothing in his life has necessarily changed dramatically. His capacity to enjoy has expanded. He has fallen in love again. What if one of the secrets to enjoying life is simply to keep falling in love? Think of these little situations: You hear a funny story, receive good news or discover something interesting. Before you know it, someone comes to mind. That spontaneous urge to share something is a lovely expression of love. You have fallen in love with a particular dish that you could eat every week without getting bored. Perhaps it reminds you of home, your mother’s cooking or a favourite restaurant. It is amazing how an ordinary meal can hold so much affection. Perhaps it is learning a musical instrument, cycling, painting or exploring a place you have never visited. That little excitement before doing something you love is a wonderful feeling. With one friend, you laugh uncontrollably. With another, you can discuss your deepest thoughts. With someone else, you discover how much you enjoy helping. Different relationships bring different kinds of love, so to speak. Life has a funny way of becoming repetitive. We wake up, work, attend to responsibilities, answer messages, pay bills and go to bed. Before long, the days begin to look remarkably similar. Falling in love changes our attention. Suddenly, we notice things. We look forward to conversations. We become curious. We find pleasure in small discoveries. We have something to talk about and someone to share it with. Perhaps this is why people who have a genuine passion for something often seem so alive. So maybe it is a good idea to invite yourself to fall in love with something new...Again. What is interesting is that love does not have to replace something else. You can love your partner and discover a new passion. You can adore your children and still enjoy friendships that belong entirely to you. You can be devoted to your profession and fall in love with gardening. There is room for all of it. And perhaps that is the beauty of being human. Our capacity to love is not restricted to one person, one experience or one chapter of life. It can keep expanding. When was the last time you fell in love with something new? And what is stopping you from falling in love again? Until tomorrow, Bob
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