VALENTINE BLISS - A Tribute to the LOVES of my life...

This weekend has been amazing: full of life and love and memory-making. And, it was all made possible by, not one, but three people. They are the three men in my life: T-LOMS, Avi, and My Darling One.


T-LOMS
The first, and most prominent, is actually not man at all, but the shaper of men: ADONAI, The Lover of my Soul. I know and experience love, everyday, because HE exudes it and teaches it to my heart and the hearts of other. He embodies love, referred to in I John as BEING love, Himself. He therefore is the SOURCE for love’s distribution: the Great Warehouse from which we all acquire the level of love we each need and give (if we are willing to recognize Him). He plays the greatest role of love, because I know that without Him, I am not capable of accurately giving OR receiving love. Why? Because, as scripture states: We love because He first loved us... While I realize that passage specifically makes reference to the exchange of love between me and TOTWIC, it also implies further ripples of love’s affects, such as our relationship to those around us. I know my SOURCE as Father, Lover, and Faithful Friend. From HIS absolutely unconditional love, I have learned the value in its generous and humble expression and how to appreciate the way I am embraced by others. He is THE standard and has formed my identity and my opinion of what REAL LOVE should be.

Thank you, LORD, for BEING LOVE and teaching me it’s true form.

Avi
In Hebrew, it means “my father,” and it is the term I have come to use when making reference to, or addressing, the earthly embodiment of this role. My father is one of the most amazing men I have ever encountered: intelligent, humble, loving, and true. He is consistent in character, only changing when it means GROWTH. I admire him among my heroes and love him dearly, because, second to T-LOMS, he has taught me how to give and receive love. Shadowing the attributes of his HEAVENLY example, my father has shared his life and love, with his family: asking nothing in return, sincerely satisfied in our delight. He has tangibly shown his feelings and commitment with words and gestures of affection and intention. One such gesture - tradition for nearly 18 years - is the bestowing of a heart-shaped box of chocolate truffles on each of his girls. Though only made of sugar and bean (and known for fading with time), these cocoa-based delights have thrilled our hearts and spirits for almost two decades. Because, the value lies not in the gesture alone, but in the meaning behind the action: in the symbol behind the deed. For it speaks of his interest in our lives and his knowledge of past and future input. For many year, he WAS our only Valentine. We are both married now, having found our forever loves, but even with these shifts of directed dedication, Avi is unchanged.

When I received my box, this year, I was surprised and emotional to discover that he would still impart such a gift to one who no longer falls under his covering. Through teary words, I thanked him and communicated the value of this annual treasure. He said that his track-record has been “too good” and though we have grown, and roles have shifted, he has no plans to cease this habit in the future. My heart was warmed. What a gift I have, not in a mere box of chocolates, but in the man that taught me life’s real sweetness is found in love, not inside a candy shell!

Thank you, Avi, for giving form to the love ADONAI has shown...

My Darling One
The most recent addition to my line-up of cherished men is my beloved husband. He is the culmination of the roles and lessons played and given by T-LOMS and Avi. And, I am able to exchange love with him, because of the way they each faithfully taught me. With reception of Stevie’s love, my cup is full. I waited for his love the longest, for his role to come and complete my life. Not that completion can be found in man alone, but rather that I knew a promise, from T-LOMS, was yet to be fulfilled in the person of my husband. He is now my daily link to the flesh of ADONAI’s love and the continuation of the covering love my father has always given. He was approved and blessed by both, so I know that his love can be trusted, because I trust their love explicitly. I am grateful to know a man who is both lover yet friend, leader yet partner. He is my joy and my delight. He is my forever valentine, the one whom G-d has called to finish life’s lesson of love. And, while many classes still lie ahead, I am confident that his life will prove to be the greatest journey I have yet encountered. To love him is to know happiness and to be loved by him is to understand sincerity.

Thank you, My Darling One, for the love you freely give everyday, without expectation...

I am blessed among women! For, I have the love of THREE incredible men. I have a foundation, a structure, and a breathing reality of what LOVE truly is. My heart is full, my spirit rejoices, and my life knows no boundary of satisfaction, because I have been loved in the truest way and it has shaped my very being. And everyday, therefore, is my Valentine’s Day.