Love is a fruit in season at all times and within reach of every hand. ~ Mother Teresa #quote
I hadn’t planned to write about Valentine’s Day but then something so sweet, so unexpected happened that I wanted to share it with you. It had been a rough morning when I heard my doorbell ring. As I opened the door anticipating more work in the form of UPS packages, utility worker questions, or door-to-door sales pitches, I was greeted by my smiling neighbor. In her hand was a plate of pink heart-shaped cookies with a note. I must have looked shocked and I don’t even recall greeting her before she said, “These cookies are for you.” For me? For me!
My neighbor is a sweet young married woman with a young son. We are in different seasons of our lives, follow different faith traditions, and don’t cross paths socially beyond our sidewalk. Yet here she was with Valentines. We chatted for a few minutes, hugged, and each of us went back to work. Because of her love I’m inspired to share some sweet pink heart-shaped love with you.
Love is how we think. We need to know what love is and what it isn’t.
Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, it is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury,it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Love thinks, “I value my neighbors because they make my neighborhood a nice place to be.”
From there, love is how we feel.
To live of love, it is to know no fear;
No memory of past faults can I recall;
No imprint of my sins remaineth here;
The fire of Love divine effaces all.
O sacred flames! O furnace of delight!
I sing my safe sweet happiness to prove.
In these mild fires I dwell by day, by night.
I live of love!Excerpt: To Live Of Love by Therese of Lisieux
Love feels sweetness more than fear. It feels generous, trusting, selfless and brave.
Then love takes action.
People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway.~ Dr. Kent M. Keith and Mother Theresa Connection
Love gives gifts small and big. Quality and quantity time. Kind words and encouragement. A hug. And pink heart-shaped cookies.
I would love to hear from you about love ❤
Happy Valentine’s Day ~~~~~~~~ Angie Mc
Family Love Does More 
Thank you Angie for sharing. I hope you enjoyed the cookies.
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Thanks, Sylvester. Never fear…I always enjoy cookies 🙂 Happy Valentine’s Day ❤
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A lovely gesture from your neighbour!
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A sweet neighbor is such a gift! If you were my neighbor, perhaps you would bring me your secret recipe olives 🙂 I’ll need to give you cookies!
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It is true there is usually no comparison between homemade food and bought one.
The special thing about the olives, are not only the herbs, which I admit I wouldn’t know all the names in English to tell, you know , you just learn what to pick from an early age. I was lucky enough to have this kind of getting know how in an early age about such things in Greece back in the sixties.
The other thing are the olives themselves, they belong to an old species, not widely cultivated, we are lucky to have some of those trees still at that area.
So , every time I go during Spring my neighbour gives me my ” share” and then I have to search around in the mountains for the rest. But it is fun , I like it and I ‘m looking forward to it !
I would give you some , for sure !
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Spring sounds like an olive holiday! Have fun and I look forward to hearing about this year’s treasure 🙂
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I like this , an olive holiday, I am going to tell it to my neighbours in the village.
I still have to wait a little bit – one month- ! Count the days!
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That is so precious. What a sweet way to discover and new potential friend. 🙂
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I do see her as a friend, someone who wants my good. And I want to good as well. It is so nice to have different circles of good people in life!
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