An Excuse To Love

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I went to Trinidad to study at UWI, or that was the plan. But one thing I did learn from Trinidad is that they loved an excuse to lime. If you could imagine it, then it could be a public (bank) holiday so they could lime. Jesus’ Birthday? Public Holiday. The day the Indians arrived on the island? Public Holiday. The day after the two public holidays for Carnival where people will likely be exhausted? Unofficial Public Holiday.
Oh, and Lime they did! I may have forgotten most of what I did at UWI, but I’ve not forgotten how to lime nor how to use dates for valid excuses.

Today is Valentine’s Day. In my youth, I was on a high horse, so far above needing calendar dates to express my love. But now that I’ve aged, and some amount of Grace has accompanied it, I am grateful for the excuses to love. Everybody’s in red today and there’s chocolate all around. Here’s your perfect excuse to stop worrying about the New Year’s Resolutions that have already crashed and burned. You can put it all behind you and look at what you do have and be grateful for it and them and love them.

I enjoy harassing the young men in my life. I love them, and I suppose they will eventually see the love in it. But of the ones I asked, they had no plans for Valentine’s Day, because they assumed it had to involve an ‘intended’. That’s because they’ve missed the excuse to love.
I love very many people in my life but I rarely say it, because it can be awkward. But here it is today.
While living on hall (shout out to JGI!), Brian Murray gave me a single Rose for Valentine’s one Year. I was so shocked at the gesture, I don’t think I thanked him until days later. There was never a hint of a romantic interest, so I knew that was not what it meant. It was simply a friend going out of his way to show the ‘tiny bopper’ that was far away from home and from her boyfriend that she was still loved there. And I’ll never forget it even though I haven’t seen nor spoken to Brian for a few years now.


Who needs some loving today? The old lady next door? The co-worker who doesn’t fit in? Your rebellious teenage son? A chocolate bar can go a far way.
Use today. Use your excuse to love. 
Bird

People I've loved and love still


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