Growing up as a late 60s teen who looked at the world with rose-tinted glasses, one of my favourite slogans was Make love, not war, as was the peace sign.
I always believed the phrase originated with John Lennon and Yoko Ono, but according to history, I was wrong!
Those glasses by the way were authentic John Lennon glasses;)
What kind of a world would it be if it were not for love?
There are many people who lack love, and they're all around us; it could be your neighbour, a work colleague, a friend, or the person serving you at your local store. I for one cannot begin to imagine just what that must feel like!
Love is what makes the world go round is another corny phrase, yet it's so true and the way each one of us expresses love is quite unique.
Love for our family of course comes first; brother and sisterly love even though they're often at loggerheads over petty little things as kids, but dare anyone say anything about their sibling, then they're quick to come to their defence!
Then there's the very special love between grandparents and grandkids, which I'm still waiting to experience by the way!
Love for our furry friends; although our little snow-white pavement special Snowy left us a long time ago, I will never forget that look of total trust! No pics of Snowy, but this is one a very special friend shared with me of their rescue dog who has now become a permanent member of the family.
Talking of friends, I have been blessed with many really special people some who have become lifelong friends, plus a couple of new friends, some whom I've met right here on Hive.
Children
How does a child express his/her love?
A small child will pick flowers for Mom from the garden (I had to bite my tongue a number of times as the flowers were meant to pretty up the garden, but it came from a little child's heart!)
They may offer to help Mom in the kitchen, which means licking the bowl and can often lead to a big mess, but the pure heart of a child is something so special and really worth the mess.
The little men will help Dad in the garage or the garden, and Dads need to be aware, just like Mom in the kitchen, that this is their way of expressing their love.
Children love hugging as do adults which shows the value of touch!
Women
Prepare a special dinner for the family or a candlelit dinner for the man in her life.
Bake cookies and special treats that are everyone's favourites.
Beautify the home as only a woman can.
Men
The way a man shows his love is very different from that of a woman.
Some men are naturally affectionate, the romantic and sentimentalist will buy flowers and chocolates, prepare dinner or take his woman out for a romantic candlelit dinner.
My favourite spoil from my man is coffee and rusks in bed every morning to allow me a little extra sleeptime.
The man will take his loved ones on an outing, have a dad/son day and do the kind of stuff boys enjoy, and also be on the sidelines when the kids are on the sports field.
The man of the house may also tackle a home improvement project for the benefit of the family.
Recognise the languages of love
Many women will not understand some of the ways a man shows his love, and vice versa, so we need to be aware of the different languages of love!
Reach out to others
So, to go back to my statement about the many people who lack love; I'm sure you've come across some, so why not try and reach out to one of those lonely souls with a kind gesture, even if it's just a chat or a smile; this costs nothing and is a gift of compassion showing that someone cares.
A personal note
As my friends know, my dearest little Mom Lily passed away just two weeks ago, and we buried her ashes in the soil of the same garden of remembrance where my Dad's is. It was kind of poignant that it happened to be Valentines Day, and this is what their simple plaque looks like. They were both keen on fishing and we thought this to be quite apt for Mom and Dad who were real salt of the earth people who did not allow any obstacles to stop them from living and loving life!
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