All You Need Is A Little Love
But What Does Love Mean?
Launching All The Single Girlfriends on Valentine’s Day somehow seems appropriate and a bit ironic. Valentine Day’s love is so often equated with “romantic love.” However, love takes many forms. I was curious to know “what love means” to our Girlfriend Authors. Here’s what they had to say about love ..
“Love” – it has meant so many different things as I’ve changed. For example, pre-feminist movement, as a Baby Boomer, “love” meant romance that would involve a ring and marriage. When that happened, I knew that “love” didn’t really mean that for me. I ran from that whole enchilada.
Now that I have finally connected the dots on who I am – I will collecting Social Security soon – “love” means the ability to understand and live with myself. Madonna sang about it years ago: The mandate “love yourself.” That’s what I am working on every day. American culture is tilted toward self-hate, especially among females.
For V Day, I am giving myself the gift of owning all parts of my rollercoaster life as the learning experiences they were and are. Like Edith Pilaf, I no longer have the concept “regret” in my consciousness, not even as part of my shadow self. ~ Jane
When I think of “love”, especially as a Single Girlfriend on Valentine’s Day, I think of all the wonderful people in my life right now – my friends and family, my business acquaintances, my fans and art collectors. I love and appreciate each and every one of them in different ways, and that love is always returned. Who needs chocolates? I have the real thing. ~ Serena
To me, love means caring so much for another person that you can feel that person’s pain, want good things him or her, and feel like you’re going to die when you lose that person. This can also apply to dogs and cats. ~ Maggie
love this question :>)
to me, there are many different kinds of love – love of family, love of friends, romantic love, love of work, love of play. What brings it all together is that love is what helps me remember what really matters in my life.
Love is about the people who could call me in the middle of the night and say they need help, and I’d rush out the door. And love is about that wonderful feeling I’ve had only a few times for real, when when I fell beyond infatuation and into a caring and intimate relationship with a man. Wow that’s heady! And boy oh boy, would i love to do that again real soon.
And i wouldn’t want to forget the love i feel toward Benny Bix Ochman Labradoodle and his brother Noni the cat. It’s a special bond, and a special kind of love.
xoxo ~ BL
comfort! Someone I can be myself with ~ Mystery Girlfriend
Love is never-ending feeling, like you’re wrapped in velvet and no matter which way you turn the wrap, as it envelopes your body, it’s all just OK and you just can’t live without it. And, the only way to experience it is to be in it and live it and keep the love alive. Kelleylove is never-ending feeling, like you’re wrapped in velvet and no matter which way you turn the wrap, as it envelopes your body, it’s all just OK and you just can’t live without it. And, the only way to experience it is to be in it and live it and keep the love alive. ~ Kelley
My life is love-filled. The love I feel for my daughter and her family and for my close friends is enduring, solid, filled with gratitude and a sense of commitment. I love picking up my cat Zen, whose paws extend to wrap around my neck, his eyes are close in anticipation of being cuddled. I love flowers and good food and making glass and anticipating a new book. When I start reading something that touches me, I feel a wave of appreciation. They all have gratitude and appreciation at their base and I am thankful for my own capacity for extending love and the enthusiasm I bring to my life. As for ‘romantic’ love, I think I like the idea of it far more than the various realities ‘veI experienced. But I’m an optimist and love not knowing the future! ~ Rebecca
In the 10th grade I did an oral book report on “Of Mice and Men” While I can’t remember exactly what I said, it was to the effect that George loved Lennie so much that he was willing to kill him. I then added, “I’m not sure I could be that good of a friend.” What I remember is that the class laughed at that line. I didn’t intend it to be funny. I think what George did was loving. He would rather suffer the consequences of killing Lennie than having Lennie suffer the consequences for killing Curly’s wife.
George sacrificed his own well-being to protect his friend. The willingness to sacrifice seems to me a huge cornerstone of love. ~ Elana
Love means generosity. To be able to give without expecting anything in return. That love enables one to find the grace to be generous is already the reward. Receiving thanks and acknowledgment is just a bonus. ~ Sunny
That’s a tricky one. The word “love” has been so over used, “I love that blouse,” “I love that movie,” ” I love…blah, blah, blah.” So what is it really? Love to me is understanding that a person’s individuality is what makes them attractive and fun to be with. Love is appreciating the good, the bad, and the ugly in someone and still wanting to go out for a cocktail. Love is knowing that even though I may be a bitch, I’m your bitch and you accept me for that. Love is knowing just how to make me laugh when I’m sad, get over myself, and support me without needing to have all the details. Yes love has romance to it too. It does not matter if you are in a traditional relationship, girlfriends, or partners when you love someone you respect them, enjoy their company, know when to back off and when to push, and when a hug is needed…how to give just the right kind of hug (cyber or otherwise), One thing is for sure, love is not sex…that’s a whole other question for another day. ~ Debra
Love is .. I use to think you understood what love is when you had kids. Now I’m not so sure if I know. I have teenage sons. I really don’t know. Maybe it comes back, once they get a little older.~ Marianne
When I think of real love–not just the temporary state of insanity we call romantic love–I think of Paul, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, 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.
When someone loves you in this manner–whether it is a parent, a friend, a sibling, or a lover–one has found true love. It is a rare, rare gift indeed. ~ Tish Grier
For me love comes in many forms and degrees. Number one is love for my children, that unconditional love that came at the moment of the birth of each one of these precious gifts. This love extends to all of my grand-kids and is the most unfailing, unwavering love for me. Then comes the love for my parents, sisters and extended family. This love has had to work hard over the years to stay strong, real and constant. Self- Love has been a work in progress, so important and at this stage of my life so important as self-acceptance goes along with this self-love. Romantic love for me comes last and has been the most inconsistent, elusive and still enigmatic mystery for me. ~Jody
Love is a pure emotion, offered freely to other living creatures and even plants. One can ‘love’ anything – but to really experience the emotional uplifting of “love” the sensation should be shared with another being that can return the love. We love each other, as humans; we love a significant other; and we love our pets. Real love is as pure as the fluffy white clouds in the sky – and can also be as fleeting. One needs to appreciate it as it is offered and not try to hold onto it selfishly. Let it embrace you and go on its way; new love will come.
If love stays – celebrate it, every day. Love is a pure emotion, offered freely to other living creatures and even plants. One can ‘love’ anything – but to really experience the emotional uplifting of “love” the sensation should be shared with another being that can return the love. We love each other, as humans; we love a significant other; and we love our pets. Real love is as pure as the fluffy white clouds in the sky – and can also be as fleeting. One needs to appreciate it as it is offered and not try to hold onto it selfishly. Let it embrace you and go on its way; new love will come. If love stays – celebrate it, every day. ~ Yvonne
Love is…
a shoe that fits perfectly.
a smile that opens your heart.
a laugh that is all too familiar.
a sip of wine from his glass and a forkful of what is on his plate and the permission to do so.
its watching the person you love fall sweetly into slumber and thinking, wow, this may be the closest I get to knowing what it is like to hold the universe in my hand. ~ Dorothéa
And what does Love me to me? Love is battling the dragons you face, so you have the courage to reach out and hold someone hand. Without love you are not fully alive. ~ Toby
Amazing how a four letter word L-O-V-E can be defined in ways that are diverse but similar. At the end of the day everyone agreed ..
Girlfriends, what does love mean to you?
Graphic Credit: quotes about love
About the Author
Toby Bloomberg Has Written 30 Articles For Us!
Toby is Founder/President of Atlanta-based strategy and social media consultancy, Bloomberg Marketing/Diva Marketing and acknowledged by Forbes as one of the country’s most foremost bloggers. She is a widely recognized for her expertise in combining social media with traditional marketing values (strategy, customer insights, segmentation, etc.) while maintaining the authenticity of digital conversations. Toby recently wrote the first business book based on (40) Twitter interviews with marketing pros. Social Media Marketing GPS has been downloaded over 10,000 times by people all the world.
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All You Need Is A Little Love http://bit.ly/g6qsH0 #girlfriend #authors #love #relationships #day
@elana – thanks for the tweet out. I think it was our first!
@Jane – Thanks for your support and enthusiasm for atsgf. As you alluded to in your answer, perhaps the best Valentine’s Day gift is that or self love and acceptance. At any age.
My wish for this digital community All The Single Girlfriends is that we can bring all women the gift of self acceptance, which is the platform for self-love.
Daily I struggle with being my own BFF but most days it’s easier than it had been. The challenge? Feeling good about me is still too tied up with what I am earning in the marketplace. Here I will be 66 May 3rd and one eye is still on the dollar amount of my worth.
All You Need Is A Little Love http://bit.ly/g6qsH0 #girlfriend #authors #love #relationships #day