To give love.

It turns out that it's only November, and I already have my New Years resolution. Just one. It's usually the same thing eeeevery year. Lose 5 pounds. Since that clearly never happens, I'm moving on to bigger and better things.

We can just call it "Holiday Goal(s)" instead.....?

It's something that has been weighing on my mind pretty heavily the past week.

Let me just ask you this. Do you have certain things that just- make your heart kinda hurt? I always try to describe these things to Chris but never know how to fully make him understand. Just those things. That when you think about, cause your heart to get a little bit achey. Sometimes in a sad way. And sometimes in a, "this is sooo tender that it's making my heart ache," kind of way. Are you catching my drift here?

I get these moments every once in a while. And last week, I had one of these moments that has just.. stayed with me.

To give love. 

Such a simple statement, with such a wide span of different ideas, opinions, and thoughts on the matter.

I won't get into the details, but I had a friend, whom beyond her own knowledge was (in my opinion) needing, but not mindfully seeking out, love from others. She needed it. She needed someone to acknowledge her, love her, and reassure that she was valued and important.

I'm sure she will never know, but I walked away from our conversation with this deep ache in my heart thinking, "How many people out there are needing this reassurance? Needing someone to put an arm around them and tell them how wonderful they are?" A question that I will never know the answer to. But I am sure the answer is more than I could imagine.

My darling visiting teacher (whom also happens to be one of my dearest friends) came over to my house a couple months ago for a visit. Little to her knowledge, at the time, I was seriously needing a friend. Just someone to listen. And she was there. It was truly a tender mercy. And it has been on repeat in my mind ever since. "I need to make sure I am that person for others.."

Too often I am looking for the people with large problems. Who are very obviously needing help. But here's the thing; I will never be able to see all the problems that surround others, although they are most certainly there. And honestly, I don't NEED to see the problems.

I desperately want to be a person who loves other people whole-heartedly. Who makes them realize that they are, indeed, important and significant.

My goal this year is to give love generously. 

Maybe that will make my heart a little less achey, yeah?