Love in the time of

romantic:  

1 :  consisting of or resembling a romance

2 : having no basis in fact : imaginary

3 : impractical in conception or plan : visionary

4a : having an inclination for romance ; responsive to the appeal of what is idealized, heroic, or adventurous b : marked by expressions of love or affection c : conducive to or suitable for lovemaking

I don't know whether it's the time of year or just the current season of my life.  It could very well be my renewed obsession with Gabriel Garcia Marquez or the songs of love found and lost that seem to be finding their way into my iPod lately.  Maybe it's the New Me that somehow suddenly popped up fresh and shiny from the recesses of a sad routine.  But somehow, every day, I can't stop smiling.

In my quest to be the best Me--adventure-seeking, hard-loving, faith-walking, career planning, super ambitious Me--seeing so many friends get married lately has left me feeling like a bit of an underachiever.  If they can manage to have a career, see the world, and find a mate, why can't I?  But while pairing off may pay great dividends, and the temptation is huge to look for the Next Great Love of My Life, I'm finding it even more rewarding to pour deeply into the relationships with the fantastic people already in my life.  The art of listening, of showing unconditional love, of grabbing someone by the hand and dragging them out to the dance floor, of acts of kindness and support, of forgiveness, of true empathy--really putting your feet in someone else's shoes for a time, of laughing, long and hard.  These things don't just improve the lives of the people around us, they allow us to drink deeply from our own lives as well.

Things I have discovered in the past few weeks:

 - It's never a mistake put other people before yourself, even if you end up getting hurt

 - When your heart aches, the best medicine is to exercise it

 - There are never enough hours in the day to dance

 - Just because a friend is on the other side of the world, it doesn't mean she can't be your heroine and confidante

 - Sometimes the answer to all life's problems is in a swing in a village

 - An open train door and a full moon make a wonderful combination