Making Time For Love

   With Valentine's Day just around the corner, I've recently been thinking that it's nice to have a day set aside to remember the people we love. Yet even better than that is the opportunity to show love to others every single day of the year. This is an opportunity few of us make the most of, myself included.
   Love isn't magical. It isn't usually effortless, either. Sometimes it even requires work.
   Strong relationships are built and held together by a common glue: love. Love has an inconspicuous enemy named neglect. If we neglect our relationship with someone we love, that relationship will weaken. A great way to strengthen ties with someone is to spend time with that person.
   Recently, I realized that I've been neglecting some of the people I love most. If anyone asked me right now if I loved my family, I would answer “Yes” immediately. But if someone asked me how I show that love to my family, I don't think I'd have such a quick response. Because the fact is: I haven't been spending nearly enough time with anyone I love. Oh, I'm plenty busy. But that is no excuse for neglecting the ones I care about the most. Maybe they don't know how much I care about them, because I don't make it known to them. I'm not suggesting that it would be best to go around saying, “I love you” to everybody - in the world of show and tell, show always wins. But I think I'll start spending some time with the people I love, and I won't wait for Valentine's Day to do it.