Fab February is here, the shortest and, perhaps the dullest, of the calendar months. Except for the cultural touchstones that keep it interesting — Valentine’s Day, President’s Day, National Heart Month, and the birthdays of those we hold dear. For writers like me, the month is an uninterrupted span of days to draft, revise, revisit, and polish existing work and to read and research for future endeavors. There is also, for football fans, the Super Bowl.
Now, if my team isn’t in it, I have reduced interest in watching the event, but I did take in the semifinals and spotted, on the back of one team’s helmets, the motto “Choose Love.”
That struck me as the most important message to come out of all the sad news we’ve had: the injury to Damar Hamlin, the bitter fight for Republican leadership in Congress, the gun massacres in various states, the continued assault on the Ukrainian people, and the vitriol from those in leadership positions. In each situation, we the people had an opportunity to choose between hate and love. How inspiring that football players, our society’s gladiators on the playing field, promote the idea that love is better than hate.
So, this is a love note…to my family, to my friends, to my writing community, to those who harbor rage and animosity based on skewed reports or unfounded conspiracies.
Each of you has a positive role to play in my life. Your smiles, your questions, your laughter, your tears, call forth in me a response. I can choose love or I can respond with negative words and emotions. The important thing is that the choice is personal, and it is a choice.. No one can force you to be unkind, to spew ugly statements, to say mean things. NO one should make you hate.
I choose. You choose. In a world seething with sorrow, each of us can sow joy…by a word, a touch, a note to a friend.
This is my love note to you. Who will you choose to uplift with your own?