When/how acquired: Gift cassette, 1989; gift CD, c. 2002.
Listen/watch here.
It's been a long time since I was in a relationship on Valentine's Day, but even when I was, it was hard for me to take it seriously. The corrosive power of Valentine's Day is that too many people see it as a day to find out how much they are loved, instead of how much they love.
Guess what? It's none of your business how much anyone else loves you. You can't know it, you can't control it, and no one but God knows whether you deserve it or not. Love is a gift we give each other. Think of it as any other gift; how horrifying would it be to go around asking why people aren't giving you more?
What we can control and know and celebrate is how much we love other people. Get out there and show a little love today.
I've used lines from this album before, but am not sure I wrote much about it. Legend reminds me of a time when I was head-bustingly, foolishly in love, overwhelmed with a feeling I knew could not last and could not be reciprocated, and didn't care at all.
As a bonus, one of my favorite love poems, which is all about the power of loving without worrying about being loved back. Blogger won't let me format it as it's supposed to be laid out, so go find it in a book somewhere, to see how Graves does it.
She Tells Her Love While Half Asleep
Robert Graves
She tells her love while half asleep,
In the dark hours,
With half-words whispered low:
As Earth stirs in her winter sleep
And puts out grass and flowers
Despite the snow,
Despite the falling snow.
1 comment:
Love this. And you. Happy Valentine's Day!
Susan
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