At the Core

St. Paul. 

A man of many opinions, ideas, words. 
And a chapter on love that blows most of all writings about love out of the water still till this day. He ends his writing with these two sentences: "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

This past year I've really enjoyed loving everything and everyone. 
Not that I haven't in years past.
Although I'm only halfway through this year, I don't intend to quit loving life and everything in it. 
One of my top things to do during the age of 40 was to, and I quote, "love fiercely."
I wrote that down on my 40 things list and in my phone.
Not that I need a reminder.
I love no other way.

Brene Brown writes in her outstanding book, "Dare to Lead" that we should be able to narrow down ourselves to two core values that embody who we are. I've tried it and still can't get there, but I do know that love is one of them. I'm still torn on what my second most important value is, but it's likely safety or creativity.

A friend of mine and I also enrolled in a free online course this month that has you take this character test:
https://www.viacharacter.org/survey/surveys/takesurvey (take it!) My #1 character trait? Love.
Close behind are gratitude, curiosity, creativity, and love for beauty (aka the outdoor world). 
Funny. I love those things, too!

And then Brene Brown also writes this:

Why do I love life and so many things and people in it?
Why do I have love?
Because I cultivate it.
Because I'm incredibly brave and vulnerable and take great risks.
Because I have no fear.
Because I love myself.
Because I know what it's like to not be loved in return.
Because I know what it's like to love in return.
Because I love giving it.
Because I know what it means to accept the love I think I deserve.
Because I'm incredibly affectionate.
Because I'm a survivor--someone who has been healed.

And love was one of the most important things that healed me.
Because of all of these things, I love. I love love. 
I love being loved but know if I’m not, I at least love me for me. 
Remember?
It's the greatest of these....
THE greatest. Period.
So I choose to try to always exude every ounce of something that amazing. 
Because right now in 2020 we need love more than anything. Yes, maybe “love is all we need.”