Love is Not Made Up

I've felt so overwhelmed with love the past couple of days.  Valentine's Day is not Single Awareness Day as many call it, for me it's always a chance to reflect on how much love exists in this world.  I am beginning to sound like a cheesy greeting card. Keep reading...

#EqualChance

Yesterday did not exactly start off great, it was supposed to be a fairly nice day (weather-wise).  Lesson learned: do NOT trust St. Louis weather.  One of my roommates and I were supposed to go to a professional development workshop in the morning.  We walked to school and realized there was a small chance of snow.  Snow it did not.  It began raining (freezing cold rain), but on the bright side it was only sprinkling.  By the time we got out of our professional development a mere three hours later, the city had iced over.  A combination of sleet, rain, and ice was just bad news.  I proceeded to walk across campus to catch the train to my internship.  Normally this would take 10-12 minutes, but it took twice as long because of the flats that I was wearing.  I know what you're thinking if you're reading this but I left my boots at my internship and rather than carrying around three pairs of shoes by the end of the day I wore the flats.  BAD IDEA.  I almost slipped at least three times, missed my train, and proceeded to actually fall while holding onto a rail when I got off the train.  Happy Valentine's Day to me.

Despite all of this I still loved seeing the expressions of love around me.  Those who stopped to ask if I was okay.  The men on the train holding beautiful flowers soon to be delivered to their prospective partners.  The beautiful posts of everyone who felt loved yesterday.  Regardless of whether you believe Valentine's Day is a made up holiday or not.  Love is not made up.  This holiday is a reminder of that.

Thank you Valentine's Day for instilling hope.  

Then, I came across a beautiful and brave testimony by Ellen Page.  Last night she bravely came out at the Time to Thrive conference sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign. So inspirational and just beautiful.  I am constantly reminded that this is the civil rights issue of our time.  Watch it below

"But what I have learned is that love—the beauty of it, the joy of it, and yes, even the pain of it—is the most incredible gift to give and to receive as a human being" - Ellen Page

Now go forth and give that gift every chance you get.