Is This Love?

I was telling my mom how two of my clients and I tell each other, "I love you," from time to time. Grown adult men tell me they love me in a professional relationship. Granted I have worked to foster and maintain strong relationships with both of them. One is a mentor and one is just one my dearest friends. I also told her how I never get off the phone with a handful of friends (female and male) without say, "I love you." Mom said "I just think that word 'love' gets thrown around too easily these days." 


Perhaps, she is right? Is this love?
I love my family - immediate, extended and chosen.
I love Moose.
I love my dear girlfriends. L.Y.L.A.S! (and their precious offspring)
I love writing.
I love Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. I mean, I really love these!
I love having my very own personal relationship with a loving God.
I love blaring music in my car and singing from the top of my lungs.
I love dancing to the point of hot sweatiness to live music.
I love the idea of true love. 


I yearn for that "one true love" in my life even though I don't fully believe such a thing exists. I have loved men in my life, deeply, with all that I could give of my heart. In each of those relationships, I thought, "This is the one." But, they weren't. They were the one for that time in my life. Today, I am working to love myself fully enough to let the idea of true love to just be the icing on my already sweet, self-made cake. I receive deep love from so many amazing people in my life. This idea of "true love" cannot forsake the love I already have. Love comes in so many forms and according to following definition, I think love fits appropriately to define many relationships full of affection. My favorite definition is #4 even though it may be the trickiest form of love to offer. 


Merriam-Webster defines "LOVE":

Definition of LOVE

1

a (1) : strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties <maternal love for a child> (2) : attraction based on sexual desire : affection and tenderness felt bylovers (3) : affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests <love for his old schoolmates>b : an assurance of affection <give her my love>

2

: warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion <love of the sea>

3

a : the object of attachment, devotion, or admiration<baseball was his first love>b (1) : a beloved person : darling —often used as a term of endearment (2) British —used as an informal term of address

4

a : unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another: as (1) : the fatherly concern of God for humankind(2) : brotherly concern for othersb : a person's adoration of God

Can any one of us define this word that weighs so heavily in our emotions and actions? A word that has started wars? A word that riddles through nearly every song? A word that drives a man to cut off his own ear? A word that elicits physical reactions?

Who Do You Think You Are?

Mom and Dad at Zapauldi 2008, Cape Cod

    My new favorite television show is NBC's "Who Do You Think You Are?"(this is a half truth, because my actual favorite show is "The Bachelor"...There. I said it.) I have been wanting to sit down with my parents and their siblings to gather as much info on my genealogy as possible. Tonight at Sunday Family Dinner, my sister Beth and I started the quest by asking my dad about his side of his family.  This summer we are having a Barich Family Reunion on Lake Michigan.  We refer to our reunions as "Zapaludi."  Supposedly this means "Let's go wild" or something of the sort in Croatian (my father's paternal ethnicity).  This reunion will be an excellent opportunity to hear the family stories from my dad and his six siblings.  My auntie Tina, my dad's oldest sister, has done an excellent job to preserve much of what has been available.  I want to know all that she knows so that I can pass it to pass to my children (God willing that I actually go on a date, fall in love, and find a man that wants children before I become barren.)
    Beth sprained her ankle while living in Argentina and the doctor she saw told her that our family is Jewish.  Beth said, "No. We are Catholic," and then the doctor said, "No. You may be Catholic now, but your family were Jews who converted to Catholicism to preserve their lives."  Now, that is something I would like to know!  I don't if this quest will lead me that far back in our ancestry, but I most certainly would like to make a start at it.  I am very intrigued and excited to see what we can learn along the way.
Readers/Followers/Fans, do you know who you are? Have you compiled your family history? I'd love to hear your comments below.


MOOSE UPDATE: Some nice ladies at Pet Supplies Plus micro-chipped Moose yesterday.  Four girls loved all over him while I filled out the paperwork.  He didn't make a peep and just kept wagging his tail from all the attention.  It was all said and done before I completed the form. He now he has a radio frequency under his skin so he will always be identified as belonging with ME.  Ahhhh....peace of mind!

Sisters

    I adore A White Christmas mostly because of the scene with Betty and Judy singing Sisters.  "Sisters.  Sisters.  There were never such devoted sisters." You'll have to pardon me for being a bit sappy, but I am feeling sappy, so sappy it is.

Aunt Nancy and Mom (Karen)

   My sister and I fought horribly growing up.  We had rules like "No kicking in the back.  The back is off limits."  My mother promised that someday we'd be best friends.  She said that she and my Aunt Nancy did and said nasty things to each other when they were younger but one day they just became friends.  Now they call each other pretty much everyday, multiple times a day.  I know whatever I tell my mother usually falls on Aunt Nancy's ears.  Recently, I was getting ready to drop a bomb on my mom and ran it by Aunt Nancy first because I knew she'd be able to guide me for minimal impact.  They know each other inside and out; they don't agree on everything and are actually very different in many ways.  They just compliment each other so well.  I have always admired their relationship.

Me and Boo

     Today, I treasure my sister and never want her to hurt...and promise never to kick her in her back or scratch the crap out of her arms or say anything with venom.  Today, I promise to love my sister, my strong, ridiculously brilliant sister, Beth, Bether, Boo, who will never not be my big sister.  I think I have pretty much taken for granted that she'll be there - no matter what.  Lord knows I have tested her...and she is still always there.  We've become a little more balanced in our relationship - sometimes I get to give guidance and advice, but the best days are when we just ride out life along side one another.  Thank you, sister, for being my rock!!!





***MOOSE UPDATE*** GOOD BOY.  I was gone all weekend so Erin had to suffer through his stanky gas as he got over his stomach issues.  Erin says I made it worse by giving him scrambled eggs.  Moose is well now.  Just a note, when someone says please don't feed my dog table scraps, PLEASE DON'T FEED THEM TABLE SCRAPS!