Love: What Matters Most

Whenever conversations mention "love", few movies, books and television series come to mind:

Princess Bride, a romantic movie date, tells of the love story of Buttercup and Westley, who had a chaotic courtship but eventually lived happily ever after. In the movie, Westley was badly hurt, and he was brought to the healer, Miracle Max. Miracle Max asked a dying Westley.

"What's so important? What do you got here that's worth living for?"

Westley faintly replied, "True love".

This is Us. A television series on NBC about a family, 3 of whom share the same birthday. My favorite character is the father, Jack Pearson. His priorities begin and start with his wife and children. His love for his family reminds me so much more of my own father. In dealing with life's challenges, I find myself asking, "What would Dad do?" so you can imagine how I felt when I watched the episode "Jack Pearson's Son". However, there's this one episode where Jack that reminded me that "love is all that matters", something I learned from my husband.

In this episode, Jack and Rebecca had a fight, and in apologizing, Jack reminded Rebecca what he loved about her.

“You asked me a question before. What is it that I love about you now?

I love the mother that you are. I love that you are still the most beautiful woman in any

room. And that you laugh with your entire face.

I love that you dance funny. And not sexy. Which makes it even sexier.

But most of all, I love that you’re still the same woman who all those years ago,

ran out of a blind date.

You’re not just my great love story, Rebecca. You were my big break.

And our love story — I know it may not feel like it right now, baby,

but I promise it’s just gettin’ started.”

The Notebook, a novel by Nicholas Sparks - a moving story of love, miracles and emotions that we will forever hold dearly. This is one of my favorite qutoes from the book.

“The reason it hurts so much to separate is because our souls are connected.

Maybe they always have been and will be. Maybe we've lived a thousand lives

before this one and in each of them we've found each other. And maybe each time,

we've been forced apart for the same reasons. That means that this goodbye is both

a goodbye for the past ten thousand years and a prelude to what will come.”

For One More Day, by Mitch Albom. A story of the relationship between a mother and son, which revolves in a question, "What would you do if you can spend one more day with a lost loved one?"

"I realized when you look at your mother, you are looking at the purest love

you will ever know."

"You need to keep people close. You need to give them access to your heart."

The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren, a 40-day spiritual guide that helps you answer this question "What on earth am I here for?" . I happen to be reading Chapter 16: What Matters Most

“Relationships, not achievements or the acquisition of things, are what matters most in life. “

“Busyness is a great enemy of relationships. “

“The point of life is learning to love – God and people. “

“Life minus love equals zero.”

Happy first day of Spring!

The photo was from my daughter's wedding's floral arrangement courtesy of Ivie Joy Flowers.

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