{love}5: keeping it simple.

We enjoy early mornings on the porch,

fresh corn, going barefoot, blueberries

and strawberries and raspberries,

sleeping without nightclothes or covers,

the long evenings and the texture of

the low western sun on fields that are

still green. -Donald M. Murray

You are the author of your love story.

Celebrate it, just as it is....just as you are. 

Make your life a special occasion, in it's everyday beauty.

Don't overlook the joy that is present in the everyday, honest simplicity.

We get so distracted by the pressures the world puts on us, and allow ourselves to become tangled in our own selfish web, heavy with the stress of work, money, bills, taxes, status, traffic, redundance....

You know who us "grown-ups" can learn a lesson from?

Kids.

Children are so resilient. They are the seekers of beauty in a dark world,

and experience love in it's purest form.

One of the greatest joys I had over the last few years working in the schools as a counselor was hearing the joy, innocence and hope in the voices of children.

Here is a short collection of some of my favorite heartwarming love quotes by children (found here):

When my grandmother got arthritis she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore,

so my grandfather does it for her all the time,

even when his hands got arthritis too.

That's love.

When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You know that your name is safe in their mouth.

Love is what makes you smile when your tired.

Love is when someone hurts you

and you get so mad

but you don't yell at them

because you know

it would hurt their feelings.

Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents

and listen.

Love is when Mommy makes coffee for my Daddy

and she takes a sip before she gives it to him,

 to make sure that the taste is ok.

If you want to learn to love better,
you should start with a friend you don't like to play with.

When you tell someone something bad about yourself

and your scared they won't love you anymore.

But then you get surprised

because not only do they still love you,

they love you even more.

Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne

and they go out and

smell each other.

Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt

and he wears it

every day.

During my piano recital, I was on stage and scared.

I looked out at all the people watching me and saw my Daddy waving and smiling.

He was the only one doing that.

I wasn't scared anymore.

Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody

most of your french fries without making them give you any of theirs.

My Mommy loves me more than anybody.

You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.

Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.

Love is when your puppy licks your face
even after you left him alone all day.

Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet

and she doesn't think it's gross.

You really shouldn't say "I love you" unless you mean it.

But if you mean it, you should say it a lot.

People forget, and it's good for them to get reminded.

Perhaps we just need to be still and just sit and listen.

Love {is} all around us.

Just ask a child.