Monday, May 25, 2015


What the heck is love anyway?
 
And who’s qualified to define it?

Is it intellectual? Emotional? Physical?

Love is something we have a hard time defining, but like the old Supreme Court Justice once said about pornography, “You know it when you see it.”

Love isn’t one-size-fits-all. One of the reasons it’s so hard to define is because there are many kinds of love. You don’t love your dog the same way you love your husband, or your best friend, or an admired colleague, or your country, or your neighborhood, or your house, or your favorite shoes.

My thesaurus has hundreds of synonyms for love, too many.

One loves different things and different beings for different reasons. One thing we do know: There’s never too much of it.
 
I was told more than once that love is its own reward. It’s a selfish emotion when you analyze it. You love because it makes you feel so good, whole and virtuous. True love is not sacrificing the self for someone or something. You love because you want to, not because you have to or are obligated to.

Love is addictive. That’s why some people avoid it. They’re afraid they won’t be in control of the addiction.

I remember many years ago, trying to explain to one of my young sons why it was possible I could love his brother as much as I loved him. His brother was often in some sort of trouble of his own making. I’m still not sure after all these years if he understood my love was not rationed or rewarded based on good behavior.

One of the best definitions of love came from the mouth of my five-year-old grandson: “Love is a dance party in your heart.”

How do you define love?

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Friday, January 16, 2015

Win a $25 Outback Gift Card



For a chance to win the Outback gift card, add your comments on books you read in 2014 and would recommend. The winner will be drawn at random. As you can see, I'm an eclectic reader and all these books are worth reading. I got a strong dose of the marvelous Robyn Carr last year.

This completes the list of 2014 books read and a peek at the start of 2015. Happy Reading!
 
(N) denotes non-fiction

One Summer, David Baldacci

First Family, David Baldacci

Real Truth, David Baldacci

American Sniper, Chris Kyle (N)

The Art of Racing in the Rain, G. Stein

Armed and Dangerous, William Queen (N)

The Promise, Robyn Carr

Wild Man Creek, Robyn Carr

Promise Canyon, Robyn Carr

Angel’s Peak, Robyn Carr

Moonlight Road, Robyn Carr

Virgin River Christmas, Robyn Carr

‘Tis the Season, Robyn Carr

In Your Dreams, Kristan Higgins

The Summit, Kat Martin

What It’s Like to Go to War, Karl Marlantes (N)

Everlasting, Kathleen Woodiwiss

Miss Julia Renews Her Vows, Ann B. Ross

The Heist, Daniel Silva

Homefront, Kristin Hannah

I’ve Got Your Number, Sophie Kinsella

Service, a Navy Seal at War, Marcus Luttrell (N)

The Design is Murder, Jean Harrington


So far in 2015:


Fearless, the story of Navy SEAL Adam Brown, Eric Blum (N)

World Without End, Ken Follett