Spread Love

I read this blog post while browsing the intrawebs, I love her philosophy on life and love … and I, 100%, agree with what she says — I couldn’t have expressed it better myself.

In 2011, I want to continue to spend more time talking to and being with the few people whom I keep close — with whom I’ve shared the depths of my soul; continue to put my heart on my sleeve and take chances; fall in love; and finally, remind those important to me that they are just that, important. That is my resolution.

I cut it down the writing a bit, kept her pictures, and wanted to share the way I live my life, so clearly explained by a stranger, enjoy:

‘I have this dream of being best friends with everyone in the world. I’ve also always been a proponent of using the word “love” more in everyday life. People in general are just a little more scared to use it I guess.’

Those words were from one of the first e-mails exchanged with who is now one of the best friends I’ve ever had. We were just getting to know each other, and he surprised me with saying exactly what I try to live by – tell everyone that means something to you just how much they mean.

It’s not always easy, though – these days, you need to be cool, calm, collected; develop a thick skin, hide your emotions, or the world will eat you up. I’ve always been told I’m more sensitive than most. I remember ex-boyfriends telling me to stop crying so much, friends telling me not to invest my heart so much, people telling me if I didn’t get so emotionally attached I’d save myself a lot of pain …

… Going all in. Being as open and deep as possible, putting hearts not only on sleeves, but on lapels, buttonholes and pockets, too. Sharing absolutely everything you are without reserve, without fear of judgment. When the other person is on the same page, outside the realm of what the world may consider “normal”, that connection with another human being can be magical …

… Put absolutely everything out there because that way, the ones who stick around know the real you. I thrive on interpersonal connection … but having a select few with whom you can share the very depths of your soul. I think as we grow up, we tend to believe what we see all around us – that quantity is better than quality: more money, more nights out, more followers, and more Facebook friends equates to a more successful life. We skip the quality in favour of accumulating more quantitatively because that’s what’s normal. We’ll send text messages rather than picking up the phone; choosing the lifeless and ambiguous messages of 140 characters over the real emotion of someone’s voice. We’ll spend hours online rather than visiting a relative, or experiencing the world. We’ll get together for coffee with a friend and talk about work, relationships, or books, but we won’t talk about how grateful we are just to have them in our lives. We’ll say our goodbyes and leave without a hug … We won’t use the technology created to make us feel more connected to actually… connect …

… I put my heart out openly to anyone who enters my life, and give it freely to those who stay. It’s taken a beating over the years, and it’s probably got a few more battle scars to come along the way, but at least, at the end of it all, I can say I lived without reserve. I used up all the love I had and spread it to everyone who mattered. Because what good is having amazing people in your life if you never let them know how you feel?

If your best friend, or a beloved relative were to be gone tomorrow, if they’ve had any sort of impact on your life at all, if they’ve ever been there for you through something tough, or if they’ve ever encouraged to believe in yourself or follow a dream… the best way to say thank you is to just be honest. Pour your heart out to your loved ones and let them know how much they mean … People don’t do that, these days, tell each other they’re loved. People keep their hearts in cages locked tight by the fear of what other people may think …