Blind [in] Love

Well it seems to be that time of year again.. Valentine’s Day: the holiday made to exchange cards and gifts to one another, for the local flower shops to make profit, for the lovers to love, to spend countless amounts of dollars on someone to acknowledge your existence, and then there is me. I mean sure I am not the only person in the world here that is lonely on this day/week, but doesn’t this “holiday” make you feel like you are the only one. This day is either a girl’s favorite or most hated holiday of the year. Well.. I can say that it was a really good Friday! 🙂 But walking on campus was a struggle, you see all these cute couples just making you sick from all the love they are displaying because you want that… but then reality sets in like can you really have that?

Really, what is love exactly?

According to the dictionary, love is:

love (luv), noun, verb. 1. a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person. 2. a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection.

According to the bible, love is:

“love is patient, love is kind. it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. it is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. it always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love Never Fails.” 

-1 Corinthians 13:4-8

According to my generation, love is:

Love is often misunderstood, mistaken, misused. Love is not love for another person anymore but yet love is for some inanimate object that serves no purpose in the world (examples: cell phones, video games, money, food). Scratch the food idea, food definitely serves a great purpose in this world… such as survival. But love is so wrongfully used in today’s world. Seriously people, take a look around. I don’t understand how and why people get the concept of love wrong. My thoughts on love – be prepared for this because it either may be the harsh reality or a nodding approval from you – is many different contradicting points.

First of all- MONEY.

No time, ever, in my life here on this earth should money be used to display love to someone. I want to bring this topic up first because this is what really grinds my gears. I have dealt with it personally.. I am a victim of a selfish, so-called “rich” father who thought he could buy my love with money. HELLO! No. Just no. You can’t treat me like I don’t exist and then try to make it up to me by buying me some nice clothes or some useless technology device. My father is a prime example of how pathetic money makes somebody but yet he isn’t the only one out there doing this.. I look at Valentine’s Day for example, the average amount spent on this special day is ranging from $120-$230. BUT WHY?! Seriously, to prove to someone your love for them? I don’t see the need to spend that type of money for affection but that may just be from the fact that I am cheap and have came from a lifestyle where money wasn’t that accessible. I believe that more people should put thought into a present. I mean, honestly, getting flowers is stupid and a waste of money but it is honestly the thought that makes it more special. But on Valentine’s Day.. it is like a given, lame. Too many people are just following the crowd nowadays rather than being original. I suppose I shouldn’t just put this holiday under the bus of buying pointless things to show love and affection because it seems to happen every holiday: Christmas, Birthdays, Easter, Halloween, Mother’s/Father’s Day, and Black Friday? I didn’t realize that was some holiday now… According to the Internet, it sure is. But right there is my point proven. I don’t see why I should even continue! It would probably save a ton of writing and time.. Anyways- So we have this wonderful holiday (Thanksgiving) where it is a time for love, family, and just being thankful for surviving (1) and having the materials needed to keep living day to day life (2) and then have all these “sales” to get you to buy things that you really need? Like really, you need them? No. You don’t. Most of the time, they aren’t even good deals, stores just make you think they are. So, therefore, I laugh at all ya’ll black friday shoppers while I am enjoying my food coma through the night from a good thanksgiving supper. 🙂 It’s just times like these that really show what people are making life to be about… But hey, I can admit that I am guilty of it too.. I mean someday I want to build this nice house, that may be a bit too big for my family; that has the newest appliances, that may not be necessary; with the newest Ford F150 in the garage that I designed sort of thing.. I know I am totally going against everything I just said about money but I don’t think I am doing out of love, or am I? I think some people enjoy spending money on these types of things to better the lifestyle of their children, I mean that is my plan. But hell, I’m guilty in this already messed up society.. I think I just am trying to make it better somehow.

So, I’m not sure if you are catching my drift yet or not.. but money is really not the key to happiness or love or whatever label you want to put on it.

Now- on to the fun topic of cell phones because well, who doesn’t own one? Exactly. This may be strange to bring up but you love your phone. It is okay to admit because if you didn’t… You are lying. Let’s take a look at just a normal day of life. Your phone is probably right on your hip at every possible moment, you are waiting for that text message from that special person, you are checking every social network designed, you are just constantly on your phone. I bet you couldn’t even picture life without your phone. You love your phone. Key word: love. What exactly does it do for you? Does it make you breakfast? Does it tell you every reason of why it loves you? And no, googling that answer via your phone does not count! Your phone is stupid, even when its name is a smartphone, it is stupid. It makes us miss life. How many times can you say you have been guilty of texting while you were with somebody, anybody? Or how many times a day could you answer that question? I feel like we are so involved in our phones that we miss reality. Miss people changing, growing into a great person. Miss it all. Not only does phones make it easy for us to meet new people, it also makes it easier for people to ask for someone’s number. Man, technology has definitely made people who are typically shy seem like the most outgoing person in the room. Okay, lets take a look at my life with my phone. I have all these apps but talking about love, one app definitely comes to my mind: Tinder. I laugh at the fact that I even have that app. I downloaded it not knowing what it was but i still manage to have the app now knowing what it is for. Tinder is designed for people of all ages (ranging from like 18 to 50) to find a match or to judge whether someone is worth getting to know based on what that look like. And trust me, people are harsh. But why? You have no idea what that person is like, you are determining their fate with a little X or a heart to show your interest level in them. Right there: BLIND in LOVE. People are so caught up about looks that they could care less of who the person actually is.

“Be proud of who you are, not ashamed of how someone else sees you.”

But what is the whole point of the app? TO FIND YOUR TRUE LOVE… i think.. I mean, hey I think there is definitely a possibility of finding that special someone on Tinder, don’t get me wrong because there are some people I would have never met in my life if I did not have that app. But that is just like every day life, you could meet your Mr./Mrs. Right on the street, at your church, anywhere just given the right time of day.. But hey, if you are constantly on your phone that you love so much, you might miss them!

what love should be.. 

Love should be fun. Love should be spontaneous. Love should be stress free. Love should be enjoyable. Love should be amusing. Love should be delightful. Love should be lovely. Does this make sense? Love should be just like the love described in those country songs you jam to with your window rolled down on a sunny day. It should be those random trips you make to a close town to go window shopping down Main Street. It should be a random picnic in a park or some company’s front lawn. Who knows and who cares?! We are young. Improvise situations, think outside the box, do above and beyond just to prove to them they are worth it to you. Don’t let money make or break a relationship because it should not be centered around that at all. Don’t let social networks ruin a relationship. Don’t use your phone to communicate all the time during a relationship. Ya know.. they are still cutting down trees in order to make paper and pencils… *Hint Hint* Fellas, girls like personal notes, even if it isn’t that long. Also, there is still a thing called snail mail- who does not like getting mail?! It definitely shows love 😉 but just love. with all you got.

Don’t be blinded from the world.

“Let all you do, be done in love” -1 Corinthians 16:14