Luxury-ess: Love

'Tis the month of love.
Do people think of the word "love" and immediately judge its abundance against an outside source?  It seems that most often when speaking of love we are referring to something given to another, rarely to the self. 
Self-Love.
It's not greedy.  It's not conceited or vain.  It's a stipulation, a requirement for a happy life.  Don't ever let another person tell you otherwise.  You are worthy of your own love.  First and foremost a being must embrace and adore itself.  Then, giving to others is easy and enjoyed.  It's basic, Oprah didn't invent this.  Look at babies and small children.  They love themselves!  They expect love and give love freely.  Then, we change for some reason.  We attack ourselves, we attack others, we are attacked by others... silly people.  Let's ditch this and just make an agreement to acknowledge that we can only control our own life. We can control whether we give love. We can control whether we accept it. So, give it to yourself, and accept it. Feels fuzzy.
Make a Valentine for yourself.
"Self, will you be my Valentine?  Yes?  No?  Maybe?"
Circle "Yes." and send back.
And be sweet to you.
Love is a luxury.
February 1st I got a wake up call in the form of love.  I was sleeping under a puffy white comforter and my pups were cuddled next to me and my husband sat down on the bed, smiling at me.  I woke up and smiled back and edged my foot out from under the covers and sweetly threw it at him.  He didn't snarl at me, nope.  He gave me a foot rub and then even included a second for foot number two.  He has really strong fingers and as a person who begs massage therapists "you can push harder, please", his strength is impressive.  I like to be almost in tears when getting a massage.  Otherwise I feel like I'm being petted and that's annoying when I want real work to be done to my muscles.  Nick, on the other hand, I have to tell, "Softer. You have to ease up."  Maybe it is the golf... strong hands... but I have trouble breathing when he gives me his version of a "deep tissue" shoulder rub.  Anyway, I got the most perfect foot massage.  He must have thought he was barely touching me, when it was actually just-right.
Then, I got a "Happy Birthday Month" message from my mom.  Lovely.
And next, a birthday card in the mail from my mother-in-law.  It was of a girl dancing on a world of roses and said "Yes ma'am...  This is your year!"  So sweet.
They all know me.  They know I am obsessed with February. Even more obsessed with the number 11.  Double it for the numbers 2.11. And since this will be like 2.11 squared... they have gone all out for me.  What is even better than the gestures is what it means.  It means they pay attention to me and my quirks and care enough to participate.
My lovely friend Kate, who is already gone, used to always talk about Golden Years when we were little.  She would say it was when you turned the age of the day of your birth.  So, mine would have been when I was eleven.  No doubt, we had many discussions about it at the birthday party.  She was probably holding her frankle in her hand so she could speak faster as she gave me the details.  She was/is something special, that one.  One of a kind.  I remember when she left us I thought, "But, her Golden Year is coming."  July 19th... and she would be 19. That doesn't leave my head.  But, maybe, just maybe, it was still poetic for her.  I'm sure she would have it no other way.  This year holds that same sort of anticipation.  It is like a Golden Year, but it is a "once in all of time" event instead of a "once in a lifetime" event. 
Blow.... candles... flames out... "I wish for the Love and the Light.  I wish for them both to take flight.  Take your course and flow.  Spread like fire and grow."
If you are missing a foot rub or birthday card from another take the chance to express self love.
Recommendation:
Mug of Warm Tea- mix green tea with peppermint tea.
Bar of Endangered Species All-Natural Dark Chocolate with Deep Forest Mint
(10% of net profits donated to help support species, habitat, and humanity... this is called spreading the love!)
Challenge: Don't chew the chocolate.  Let it melt slowly (in your warm peppermint mouth) and savor the flavors blending and changing.  
This chocolate is a great gift too, or a pick-me-up for someone like our friend that stepped on black ice and broke their foot.  Dark chocolate is intense and works miracles with moods.
Side note- You probably won't, because of the peppermint flavor which is delicious, but... If you need sweetener for your tea, try honey, raw sugar, or Stevia (100% natural).  Ditch Sweet-n-Low, Equal, and Splenda... FOREVER.  They are the very opposite of self-love.  They are self-destruction. 
So, now we part. 
I hug you. (Southerners are huggers)  
I tell you I think you are great and beautiful and full of potential for being the person you want to be.  
Do you believe me??
Saying yes is your luxury.


psst... here's the chocolate bar...
http://chocolatebar.com/products.php?product=3oz.-All%252dNatural-Dark-Chocolate-with-Mint