that's amore

yes, i pilfered this pic from FB. and i'd do it again.

love.

i've been thinking about it a lot lately. (and by lately i mean the last five years.) i've seen people in it. out of it. out of it and looking for it again. looking for it period. in it for a long ass time and so maybe not in it anymore, but hanging onto the idea of it.

the whole thing kind of gets you thinking: love ain't anything.

that being said, this year, i have a real valentine (not that you don't count, Mama, but you know what i mean). naturally, i acted like a bear. you can chalk it up to a lot of things, lack of sleep, a stressful profession (make that two stressful professions. boy do i looooove being a writer.) my a.m. crankiness got me wondering why, almost instantly, do we treat the people we're so grateful to have so unkindly?

on a cold day a week back, and i mean so cold it made you want to yell at someone what the hell kind of cold, i stopped at the bank. in the ATM lobby a withered, smelled to high heaven, old as Jesus man hovered, shaking and zoned out. whilst on line inside the bank, a woman announced, "excuse me, did you know there is a... and i can't remember what word she used derelict? homeless? actually i think it was "gentleman"... there is a gentleman loitering in the ATM lobby. the only reason i'm in line right now is because i didn't feel comfortable using the ATM with him in there."

painfully embarrassed, we all ignored the woman. consider that every person in line had averted their gaze from the old man on their way in - this man that was near collapse. but frickin' telling on him? that was just unconscionable. one guy mumbled what we all were thinking: "lady, it's cold outside."

but irrationally scared yuppie mom had spoken.

on my way out, a teller was urging the old man to move on whilst another bank patron yelled at him that he'd better get out of there 'cause the po-po were coming. (um. where do i live again?).  the old man shook and mumbled. my boo and i ran.

maybe love ain't nothing.

surely, it's the fit of you and another person. it's the snuggling. the long looks. that bursting feeling. the angst. but, hopefully, love extends outside our own little nest to not busting a homeless dude for trying to stay warm. hopefully, love is bringing your coworkers snacks, showing up for a friend's event when no other friend does (thanks Ellen dear), hugging someone tight that you've only met for the second time.

trust me. brown bear that i am, i know it's hard being good to the people that we love the best, let alone to perfect strangers. but we gotta reserve a little love for others, too. when you think about it, our supply is as unlimited as we want it to be. so why be stingy with it?

after all, maybe love ain't nothing. maybe it's everything.

and we all deserve a piece.

and yes, i also pilfered this pic from FB.
to read this adorable dog's story, visit
the Big Fluffy Dog Rescue page