If we are lucky, love may permeate our lives in so many forms; lasting love, affection and compassion, friendship, good will, brother and sisterhood, kindness, devotion.

Love is a unifying agent. As such it helps us to feel safe and cared for, like we matter, which allows us to more easily pass forward these feelings and behaviors to another, assisting them in feeling safer, cared for, and like they matter. In so doing, the opportunity to enrich our own, and another’s, life arises again and again. What we authentically feel for ourselves, we may share with others.

Love comes in unlimited quantities, we never suffer a shortage, although there are times we must protect and care for ourselves, which would qualify as self love. Love (which by any other name would smell as sweet) can come from many sources and may feel dissimilar, but a sincere sense of love is hard to disguise if we allow ourselves a visceral response. 

Ultimately, regardless of its origination, once we internalize, choose and own it – it is ours to have, and give, freely.