I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
This has been a winter of frigid, often single digit temperatures, and a startling 13 degrees below zero! We have been challenged by icy roads and an abundance of snow. As we struggle to keep warm, we often hesitate to brave the elements. How have you been keeping warm?
The words of the old song entitled “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” are as true today as when written years ago. During the bitter cold of this winter, it is comforting that this means of keeping warm is available to everyone! The energy generated by love is free!
Love is a mysterious, wonderful thing. We can cultivate its growth by daily developing an attitude of gratitude. From break of dawn with often awesome sunrises, to moonlit, starry nights, we are surrounded by nature’s beauty. We live in a society where no one needs to feel alone, unloved, or uncared for. Many of us are blessed with a wide circle of family and friends. In my early childhood, we didn’t have a telephone, computers or TVs. Families strove to keep loving and close with visits and through letters and cards. Today, visits from loved ones are always welcome but in between we can keep in touch through phone calls, emails, cards and letters. Most of us drive or have friends who do and we can get out to all kinds of social functions that bring us in contact with others.
Throughout the day, we can be grateful for so many blessings – for whatever level of health we have, a warm place to live, good food available, opportunities to interact with families and friends. Even when we are alone, we need not be lonely. Everyone seems to have a telephone today and many have cell phones as well. We are united with family and friends wherever they may be. It is a delight for me to be able to share my life with my son, daughter-in-love, granddaughter, great grandson and great granddaughter in Florida and another time, share experiences with my cousin who is on an extended visit with her daughter and son-in-law in Alaska! I am living vicariously through her as she is treated to a dog sled ride! Friends and acquaintances send us news, stories and bits of humor to brighten our day. We are stimulated to share our day and the humor, touching stories, and beautiful art we receive. This is heart warming. Love is a magic carpet that transports us to warmer climates where we bask in the love we share.
Love is wonderful and mysterious! You do not have to be wealthy to give the gift of love. We all have plenty of love to give! It makes us happy to be able to buy gifts to please others, but in today’s economy that is getting harder and harder to do. It is comforting to realize that many of the material things we give away can lose their appeal, become outgrown, or destroyed but our love is something that continues to bring joy. No one ever gets tired of being loved, no one outgrows their need for love. Loving words and actions can keep love from being destroyed. When we give material gifts, we wonder whether they will be liked, enjoyed, or fit. Love comes in all sizes and everyone enjoys being loved. There are so many ways we can show our love. Perhaps one of the best is listening! Everyone wants to be heard, to be important enough for some one else to take the time to actually listen whether to dreams and joys or to fears and aches. It seems everyone in our society is rushed to the max, and to actually take time to let someone know you care says a lot. Taking the time to call or visit someone who does not get out very often, is a gift of love.
Isn’t it a paradox that when we love others and give them joy, our hearts are also filled with joy! Love is something that when you give it away, some of it always sticks to your heart. Just being able to love is a gift! It is easy to let the woes of our society to bring pessimism into our lives. We can be overwhelmed with challenges, and tempted not to look for love either in ourselves or others. With all of the emphasis on how we look and perhaps how popular we are, we often forget to love ourselves! While we are turning up the thermostat on the house furnace, let’s turn up our inner thermostat and generate love for ourselves and others!
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These articles are published in the Spirit of Bainbridge every three weeks, and mailed to every home and business in Auburn and Bainbridge Townships (zip code 44023).
Additional copies are distributed locally at Arabica, Bainbridge Library, Lowe’s Greenhouse, Sirna’s Market & Deli and other locations in Auburn, Aurora, Bainbridge, Chagrin Falls, Chesterland, Solon and South Russell.
Approximately 7,300 copies of Spirit of Bainbridge are circulated.