Show Some Love!

Show Some Love!

By Allen Merritt © 2018

I started pondering the day as I went out for coffee and watched the people coming and going with caffeine in hand.

I noticed a woman walk into the store. Her hair was purple. Her dress was red. She carried a guitar and rolled around and amplifier on a two wheeled dolly.

Then a man came in behind her a short while later with an arm full of palm leaves gone yellow. He was attending to his fingers twisting, molding and shaping the palms into a manmade rose.

I couldn’t help myself. I had to start writing.

Today is a special day for some and only the same old, same old for others. It’s Wednesday. It’s Hump Day. Its two events wrapped up into one, both Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday.

I immediately have a flashback: While at a meeting last night I overheard someone telling a story about how it was Galentine’s Day. Her reference had something to do with this celebration of love and affection for another specifically directed toward the “gal” in a relationship. In other words, it is only for the women or gals in your life. I thought the word play was humorous and just up my alley. However, for me, I think the day is for everyone to celebrate should they find themselves in a position to do so (i.e. have someone they want to celebrate it with).

Anyway, flash forward to the present scene, I watch the two individuals mentioned previously and recognize them as artists, but also see how in this moment they are human beings who try to make their artistry for the pleasure and entertainment of others. Here they were starting off their V-Day getting a regular cup of joe.

I do the same. Maybe we’re all starving artists striving to express, interpret and simply ‘be’.  While it may be Valentine’s Day it’s just a regular day for me. In fact, I remember this being one of my busiest work days when I was delivering singing telegrams. An artist loves the work and feels more fulfilled making their living by doing what they love to do. I speculate on how these two people are in the same boat, taking advantage of the “love” celebration to use their skills and generate some extra income. I respect that.

Everyone needs encouragement and recognition. There is something positive in this. It helps encourage goodness and inspires those out there trying.

With that in mind, I wish everyone a happy love day. 

On a side note, I saw a fun cartoon recently with a person holding a sign reading “HUG   E” and someone asks why the sign says “Huge”. When the person looked back at their handmade sign a letter had fallen away. The sign was supposed to say ‘HUG ME.”

It reminded me how fun getting a hug can be. Some folks are out there advertising free hugs to anyone who wants one while others are asking for that hug.

Find someone you care for and give them a hug or a nice compliment. "Like" a few extra things on your social media. Show some love to others. And as the little heart candies say, “Be Kind” to one another and encourage those doing their best.

Pass on the positivity and all that other mushy stuff, too!

Cheers!