For the Love Birds

I've never been a big person for reading. It's not that I can't do it, it's just that I had trouble keeping myself focused on that one thing at a time. Maybe I have some minor form of ADD -- or maybe I was just disinterested. Many of us grew up reading what was on the syllabus. Johnny Tremain comes to mind for me.

"Here, read this book, then we'll talk about it."
"Well what's it about??"
"That's why you read it."
End of discussion.

I say all of this because I'm reading a book for the second time, something I never before understood and swore I'd never do. It's The Rhythm of Life by Matthew Kelly, a book I can't even remember receiving. I believe I was in grade school, taking an afternoon "field trip" to the high school for Kelly's speech. Everyone got a copy of this book at the end. What I do know is that it sat on my bookshelves in many residences (Tiffin, Athens, Madison) before I finally made it a point to read it. And now I'm reading it again.

For those of you who absolutely despise religious undertones, you probably won't like it because you won't get past them. For those of you who are open to that idea, it's a great "look yourself in the mirror and tell me what you see because I bet you don't actually like it" type of book.

In this second read-through, I came across one passage that is (or was, now that I'm a day late) appropriate for those love birds taking in all that Valentine's Day has to offer. Kelly is a public speaker who, in this passage, is asking a group of high school students, "What do you want from life?" and responds to the answer of one young woman in particular.

...

A young woman said, "A gorgeous man who is kind and loving." I asked her, as I had asked the young man earlier, had she succeeded in locating one yet. She wasn't shy and she volleyed by saying, "How will I know when I find him? How will I know he is the one?"

"Not because he tells you he loves you. Not because of the gifts he gives you. Not because of the way that he looks at you. And, it certainly is not 'in his kiss.'" They laughed, and I continued, "At least these things alone are not enough upon which to decide. You see love is not what love says. Love is not what love says it will do, or even promises it will do. Love is what love does. And gifts - chocolates and flowers, jewelry and fancy clothes, these are not gifts. Often, these are only excuses and apologies for not giving the only true gift - a portion of one's self. When you are wondering, pondering, and praying to discover if he really is the one for you, consider this one idea, You deserve to be cherished. Cherished!" We held eye contact for a moment or two, her eyes began to well with tears, and I knew she understood.

...

No doubt I will be sharing more from this book in the future. Between this and Talent is Overrated by Geoff Colvin, I've had my share of very inspiring reads in the last couple of months, which is why I'm am starting to doubt less and less my decision to move on.

Hopefully everyone (even those of us celebrating "Singles Awareness Day") had a happy, and loving, Valentine's Day -- and that you can give of yourself sometime soon.
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Book reference:
Matthew Kelly, The Rhythm of Life: An Antidote for Our Busy Age. Steubenville: Beacon Publishing, 1999.