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Love is not who you see yourself in, it is who you simply can't imagine yourself without.
With Valentine's Day a little more than two weeks away, my thoughts turn to love. Years ago when we had our greeting card business I designed cards for Valentine's Day. It was a huge card purchase holiday. Ours were Die cut with art in full color inside and out with a whimsical message. Valentine's Day indeed means cash registers are busy and shelves full of merchandise are emptied. But what about our family and friends that do not have a love of their own? This gave me pause, reflection and inspired my post.
When I first heard the lyrics to Pat Benatar's song "Love is a Battlefield" it was as if she was singing to me. With over a million selling records of her Gold smash 1983 hit it seems it resonated with millions of people with the below words.
"We are young, Heart-ache to heart-ache we stand, no promises, no demands, Love is a battlefield. We are strong, no one can tell us we're wrong, searching our hearts for so long. Both of us knowing love is a battlefield. You're begging me to go, then making me stay, why do you hurt me so bad. It would help me to know, do I stand in your way or am I the best thing you've had. Believe me, believe I can't tell you why, but I'm trapped by your love and I'm chained to your side."
This is a second marriage for both John and I. We truly understand how love can be a battlefield, thankfully we were lucky to discover love again. In December we celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary. We are fortunate to love and to continually fall deeper in love with each other over and over again. But during our 35 years we have been deeply and emotionally touched by friends and family going through breakups in their relationship. Be it through divorce or loss of a spouse or life partner because of death. It is because of those experiences my poetry of "Just Breathe ..." became very important words for me to poetically voice to anyone who has experienced love's battlefield.
With Valentine's Day approaching I wanted to express my feelings to simply say I empathize and care. Especially because for so many facing Valentines Day alone it is a difficult holiday. I get it, this past Mother's Day was very emotional for me dealing with the loss of my son. I also thought it would be an opportunity to weave in and share a story that occurred one Valentine's evening. To let you know that although I try my best to sound graceful in my writing and poetry, in real life, I oftentimes, am a utter klutz.
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| source Google |
One Valentine's Day, many years ago I became John's bloody Valentine much to both our surprise. On Christmas my parents gave me a bread knife as one of my presents. A Mighty Oak bread knife, a brand I was not familiar with. Mom accentuated with much emphasis on the word mighty, I thought it strange, both in choice of gift and pronunciation. But she seemed excited with her gifting.
So on Valentine's Day after creating a Tuscan inspired culinary feast I reached into the utensil drawer and pulled out the Mighty Oak to use for the first time. Slicing into our loaf of crusty Italian bread and slicing right into the middle finger on my left hand. All I can say is thankfully the nail kept the finger tip attached. John watched as I did it as his eyes opened wider than I've ever seen flying up stairs to the bathroom and within seconds returned with Neosporin, a box of band aides and a white hand towel. Grabbing my left hand he said "we've got to wash this out". Well... After running it under tap water needless to say he quickly drove me to the emergency room with the hand towel tightly wrapped around and me crying. Who knew Valentine's Day in the Emergency room would be such a busy place - seriously, like take a number busy. I sat down shaking as John dealt with the insurance paperwork speaking loudly and with much urgency about my klutzy injury. All I can say is when the nurse approached me I was dripping blood all over the floor and when she asked what color the towel was she declared "come with me NOW"!
The doctor examining me asked how I managed to cut myself - to which John quickly answered (in my Mothers accentuating pronunciation "with a mighty Oak" which made me start giggling as the attending doctor called the Plastic surgeon on staff to stitch me up. 18 stitches, 3 hours later, we were home eating our warmed up but yummy meal without the crusty loaf of bread.
The following day we went knife shopping and I purchased a set of Global knives. Precision Japanese made, sharp thin blades, perfectly balanced in my hand. Plus Global is an aesthetically elegant design and I highly recommend their knives.
Oh the Mighty Oak? Never used it again!
I leave you with my poem Just Breath... see you in two weeks with a Valentine's post with cute snapshots captured in our row-home and a little Valentine's poem.
xx,
Vera
You are a kind soulful earthbound entity trying to heal heartbroken tattered gossamer wings,
Attempting to soar fearlessly in hope of finding love again and the restorative promise it brings.
Without expectations reality exists in an unwelcome place, alone in dark murky shades of blue.
Destiny inevitably controls our future, sometimes with heartbreaking events, tragic but true.
With loss there is a break in our minds reality and our acceptance of what once was forever.
Reflection offers a fresh perspective into understanding how we are all mystically linked together.
You start to move forward, longing to recapture the feeling of a magical relationship from your past.
In healing you may make a wrong connection, a union your heart knows has no chance to last.
Just breathe...
Ultimately our most powerful and meaningful memories occur in brief measured moment's of time.
Along the way life affirming lessons are learned on the path of your souls endless journey and climb.
Despite all these obstacles and setbacks our heart will discover strength to persevere.
Belief and determination helps us move forward to find happiness without any fear.
I wonder if you even recognize the amazing beauty that dwells in your heart and longs to rid the sorrow.
Bravely you must embark in a search for love that will reward you in the future... maybe even tomorrow.
© Vera
