I like to like.
I like color. I like your facebook post or blog. I like music in the background while I paint. I like coffee in the morning. I like a good glass of red wine and a great conversation.
I use likes like gold stars: a judgement and evaluation, an A+, a thank you for making me smile, cry, feel good, like myself. I don’t have to explain it, I just like it.
I purchase things I like. I watch movies I like. I spend time with people I like. I consume what I like.
I surround myself in likes. It feels good. I like to like.
I’ve been taught like is a prerequisite of love. Convince me that I like you and then maybe I will love you.
This is the love dating model. I can’t possibly love someone or thing unless they pass the “like” test and earn enough likes, points, smiley faces or gold stars. Then perhaps love.
Logically, I believe that I am the owner of love. In fact, I am love. I hand out love the way I give likes, but more exclusively because love is exclusive, precious, scarce, protected, coveted, sung and written about, painted.
I’m so pretty being the embodiment of love. I like owning love. I feel in control, protected and powerful. Its cozy like this.
You must cultivate and penetrate my wall of likes to earn my love.
Earn my love. Love is an economic exchange? The more likes you give me, the more I might love you.
That can’t be right. I own love and give it out like a confetti of glittering stickers, stars and likes?
Truth: I have skipped prerequisites and plainly loved. I love my children, even if they were never born. I love my family and they make me completely crazy. Oh god, sometimes I don’t like my husband, but I love him. I fall in love with my closest friends within three minutes of our first meeting. What about love at first sight? What about unconditional love?
So then…
What if I don’t own love? What if love doesn’t live in me?
What if … Love begins when I shed my protection of likes?
What if… Love lives outside me and life is an adventure in seeking love?
What if… Love is a chemical reaction that occurs when I discard my likes and surrender to love?
And this…completely changes the way that I live.
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I like your words, especially those of loving your children even if they were never born. ❤️
Thanks Ann! Love is mysterious that way and kids are one big lesson in what love really is 🙂
Ver wise idea and very nice watercolour 🙂
Thank you. I’m enjoying the wisdom of your art as well!
🙂
Marika,
Likes… Loves… Yours to own or yours to share; or not. I’ve read this particular message at least a dozen times from beginning to end. The thing that stands out is you’ve never once mentioned NOT sharing “likes” or “loves.” You are a sharing person and likes-n-loves are about the nicest thing anyone could ever share.
The level of positivity in this message is infectious. It makes me want to share my own likes-n-loves. It makes me want to share the blog page. In fact–with your permission–I’d like to do exactly that.
Thank you. This message has made me smile so much–each time I read it. Part of that is it makes me think of you, which always makes me smile. Mostly it’s the message itself which makes me consider my own relationship with liking & loving.
Life as a positive person is fun, eh? It sure is for me!
~Mark
Mark! Thank you for your comments – it is very touching and means a lot to me. Yes! We have a “relationship” with liking and loving – isn’t it interesting to think of it that way? I think it is fascinating paradigm shift. And yes, life is fun!
Of course! Please do share! That is what this is meant for!
Marika