Reinventing Valentine's Day

Once upon a time, Valentine's day was a traditional Hallmark Holiday to me. You get the picture; flowers and bon bons out of heart shaped boxes and a lace doily card for that someone special.

Now, utilizing the energy and commemoration of this "holy day" means reinventing it to fit who I am today. These days romantic love is just one limb of the mighty tree of universal love I experience. Love can be a guiding force that is ever present and unifies us all. Love is natural. We are wired for it. We are love itself, and Love is for EVERY ONE! Here are some of the ways I am reinventing Valentine's Day for myself and those around me.

• Love Globally, Act Locally. I will share love with everyone on Valentine's Day in the form of a smile, a gesture and simply walking through the world with an unguarded, open heart, allowing loving energy to flow freely.
• Create a Community Event. This year the second annual One Love project will take place at a Tucson, AZ Farmer's Market. Mission FREE LOVE will gather a posse of peeps to walk together through our local Farmer's Market on Sunday morning, Feb 14, giving out homemade Valentine's with messages of Unity and Unconditional Love. Our message is simple: One Love. Namaste. The heart light in me recognizes the heart light in you-and in this place of love, we are ONE. Check out the One Love Alliance site to create a local event like ours in your home town.
  
• Love with an Undefended Heart. Instead of giving my husband chocolate or a romantic date night out (though I LOVE those too), I am committing to love him with more conscious attention. I will do my best to see the Divine in him; to listen deeply, to pause rather than react, to invite and allow communion, to call myself back into connection anytime I go unpresent, get preoccupied, or emotionally distant. A great book to support this practice is Undefended Love.
  
• Give Affection. I commit to offer loving touch to all my loved ones close by as well as call those across the miles and tell them I love them so.
  
• Be a Love Bug. Love Life! Love being in the world. And be grateful for ALL of it!

Most important of all, I will integrate my Valentine's intentions into daily life. Every day is a day to love fully, to see, cherish and celebrate the Divine love we are. May we each be a force of Love in motion! May unconditonal love shine upon you and radiate from you in a reciprocal flow of grace. Valentine's Day...how will you celebrate?