Wishing a Happy Valentines Day to everyone! I find it so interesting that one Holiday could have so much angst surrounding it. In my book, it’s just another day, a reminder of our reality (whatever that may be). Being single is not the end of the world, and every relationship is not perfect. I’m just glad I didn’t buy a Hallmark card this year.

This video’s from back in 2008. The song from the video is actually Shh by Donora, who I did a post on in the beginning of February. Enjoy!

There is a quote I have always liked… it goes something like, “love is an environment which you surround someone with in order for them to grow to their fullest potential.”

In our lifetime, we are constantly moving through different environments. Our moods are affected by so many different factors, both external and internal. I am what you would call a “highly sensitive person.” My mood depends greatly on those of the people around me. It is exhausting living with our emotions day in and day out, our ever changing moods clashing with others. This is where love comes in. It’s like our immune system, fighting off infections and disease. There is no big plastic bubble to step into to protect ourselves from the world around us. But when love is present, somehow the fight seems to fade away and become less important. When someone loves us fully and entirely with all of our flaws, it gives us courage. We are surrounded with an environment which allows us to thrive and grow.

Moment of truth – I haven’t been inspired much on the subject of love lately, but I was looking back in my journal, and I had written this a couple years back. I still think it holds true and not just in romantic relationships.

In romantic love you want the other person. In real love you want the other person’s good.
-    Margaret Anderson

Love is a condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.
-    Robert Heinlein

Keep your heart and mind open always!

More Than Love is off Amerie’s latest In Love & War album, which you can download off iTunes. This is a great video, especially the beginning when she is talking before the music cuts in. Trust is an element so vital to the health of a relationship. I know you can’t speak until you’ve walked in someone’s shoes, but if you can’t trust him, get out! It’s that simple. Even if he pulls a Benz in your face…. Are you really going to fall for that?

Link it.

A Mini Mixtape Series

(Don’t get too excited…or do… it’s only my own compilations)

Love… it’s an ambitious topic, and one that a whole blog could be dedicated to. Nevertheless, I attempted to put together a mini 4-part mixtape series of ‘The Evolution of Love.’ I tried to keep it in the hip-hop/r&b genre, otherwise I could have gone all over the place and never would have been able to narrow it down. I organized it temporally, or I guess you could say, causally, according to my own view of love, sort of as a personal diary. The break down: First comes The First Love, followed by the break up and so The Pieces Left. Then comes the transition between the healing process, the crush and the Transitory Love. And eventually through the search we arrive at The Catch.

Enjoy…. or don’t. Your choice. Click on the pictures to download the mixtapes.

The First Love

The Pieces Left

The Transitory Love

The Catch