Loving...

Do you think your heart is open or closed?

I would like to believe that I have always been an open book when it came to my feelings of love.  I wear my heart on my sleeve, as "they" say.  I'm not afraid to love openly and unconditionally.  What's there to be afraid of?  It is the easiest feeling to feel.

Love is such a simple and honest feeling.  There is no doubt in my mind that everyone has loved once in their life.  There are so many different ways to love or be loved.

I was sitting the other night thinking about a question I was asked once when my daughter was younger and I was pregnant with my second child.  She asked me, "Mom, will you love the new baby more than me?"  I didn't even hesitate to answer... "Of course not!"  I was taken back with such a question from my then, 11 year old.   My first thought was, how could I love anyone more than her?!  She is my first child.  The love of my life.  I love her more than I love myself.  But then I thought about it and told her, "I will never love my next child more than you.  My love for him (because I knew he was going to be a boy) will be different, neither more or less, just different."   She said, "But I will always be your favorite."  She always knew how to get her point across.

Now, almost 5 years later I still feel the same, my love for my 2 children are neither more or less than the other, just different.  My children are so different from each other, they bring so much love and joy to my life, as well as pain, and sometimes heartbreak.  But that is what being a parent is all about.  Worry and unconditional love.

When loving a mate, that is whole other kind of love.  You obviously don't feel the same love for your children as you do for your significant other.  Love is exciting, and passionate, and fulfilling with your mate.  Love is endless and strong.  Love can also be overwhelming and confusing.  But that's the beauty of loving someone that way.

You will never love anyone the same as you love someone else.  You love people for different reasons.

My heart and the feelings of love leads me most of the time.  I'm not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing.  Either way, it has helped me to be the person I am today.  The parent I am today.  The wife I am today.  The friend I am today.

Love is incredible.  It is resilient.  It is strong and powerful.  It can take control of your mind and your body.  It can heal you.  Loving someone can be the best thing you can do.  Love doesn't show you consequences, but promise.

Be open to it.  Let it in without judgments or second thoughts.

So getting back to my question at the beginning, Do you think your heart is open or closed?  If you believe your heart is closed, what would you be willing to do today to open it, just a little?  What actions have you taken based on following your heart, (if any)?