Recently my lovely, kind-hearted boss married the love of her life. Even more recently, I looked at the pictures from the celebration of love.
Sitting in my lecture at 9am, I am entirely caught up in the photos of the brides. I am in awe of their beauty and I am in awe of their love for one another. It’s evident. Never mind the wedding dresses, the wedding rings, the wedding bouquets, never mind all of the obvious, and look. The way they look at each other, the chemistry between the two of them as they hug each other. It is sincerely something of a dream.
I have been told I am very expressive. My fifth grade teacher told my parents to help me control my facial expressions because my feelings are often on my face. I am a transparent person in all the right ways, you know? One of my friends and I matched yesterday, and we took a bunch of pictures and she captioned it, “I need to find someone that looks at me the way Ari looks at me when we match.”
I told my boss I hope I find someone that looks at me the way she and her new wife look at each other.
I know it’s a beautiful experience to see people out and see them so shamelessly involved in one another. My friends have captured numerous pictures of me looking at them, and it’s obvious. I am so in love with my friends and the people in my life. I’m not embarrassed about it. I care insanely and deeply about the people I have in my life. People shy away from it, and they’re bashful about being blunt about their feelings.
But why? Why hide away from some of the most natural human feelings, the feelings that bring us more joy than any? What if we all showed our love for one another? What if we all let ourselves openly care for those near and dear to us? I love loving. I love caring. I love the people in my life and I love letting them know. I’ve been told I say “I love you” more than most people, and that’s someone else’s opinion. If you’re telling me that, I’m probably telling you. You are loved. What a good feeling that is!
What’s better than feeling you’re loved and cared for? It’s my favorite feeling. I will shamelessly love and I will let those who deserve it know. I challenge you to join me to love. Love openly and care deeply, don’t hold it back.
