Love: What it is, what it ain't

Marriage never really crossed my mind until I encountered true love because it seemed like a big bunch of crap to me. I'd venture to say most people feel the same. Unless you REALLY need to throw a big party for yourself so you can get together with all you friends and family and get dressed up and eat good food. I mean, you can do that anytime, and you certainly don't have to limit yourself to one big blowout that is supposed to last you for the rest of your life (!!!) Love inspires many things.

Marriage, techinically, isn't love at all. It's a legal contract to be partners in home life and child-rearing. Until you desire a home life and/or children, it's a totally ridiculous concept that is a little outdated, but has it's perks, fer sure! Perks are sweet. No wonder people fight for gay marriage! But I'm sorry, I'm pretty sure I could have a pretty awesome home life with my friends. Kids would probably have more fun living with me and my friends than some crabby married people that want to kill eachother.

But there is a poem that marriage ceremonies have made famous, and it's sort of salvaged the whole marriage concept for me. My proposal (heh heh, get it??) is that people start learning this poem as young as possible, and practice it all the time with alllll people, not just one person! To get this right the first try would be IMPOSSIBLE. And no, it's not about getting it on with everything on two legs.

Let me break it down, I'm not feeling poetic. Be warned, I'm going to embellish here. You'll recognize it if you've ever been to a wedding, but don't freak out when I tell you I got this from the B-I-B-L-E ;-) It's Corinthians 13.

Love is...
Patient
Kind
Celebrates the truth
Protective
Trusting
Hopeful
Sticks with you through the tough times
...and love always conquers all!!

Love totally isn't...
Proud
Stuck up
Self-centered
Angry
Possesive
Getting all excitable about other people's mistakes

I think we could all be a little more patient, kind, protective, trusting, hopeful and faithful with each other. Our friends, family, co-workers, hot dates, boyfriends, girlfriends, mailman, girl at the check-out lane...

Then when things go wrong with your spouse or partner or whatever you like to call each other, you won't be left feeling so lost. You'll be pretty good at sharing the love, and feeling just fine. You'll proably move on faster, need be, and get better and better at being a good partner too, because you'll be a LOVER. A person who's good at patience, kindness, protecting others, trusting, and having some hope and faith.

Because, come on, even dogs can get it on.

xo a