May we bravely remove the lens through which we see this mid-February season - whether that be the rose-tinted lens of romance, or the bitter lens of loneliness.  May we begin to choose the practice of genuine love daily, for the grocery store cashier, the girl who lives across the hall, the one we've condescended as a misfit instead of initiating real friendship, the friend who betrayed us, the crush that rejected us, the clique that mocked us, the parent we have pushed away to gain our independence, the boss we don't respect, the friend we've always taken for-granted, the stranger we would otherwise walk by... with the people and in the places where we feel least comfortable.  May we learn to see people - ourselves included - the way the Creator of all sees us and rest in the experience of His complete approval.  May we muster the courage to admit how deeply we long for love.  May we relegate romanticized love to its right place as salt and pepper seasonings instead of the means by which we fill our love-hungry appetites.  May we grow to savour relationship instead of romance.  And in time, may your romance grow to reflect the way in which your Saviour romances your soul, knowing deeply and being deeply known, not so that you may bask in the pleasure of rich romance, but that the richness of your relationship spills over to invite others into inclusive community rather than flaunting your exclusivity.  May we learn what it means to say, "I love you", and live it.

PS... if you have a minute, follow the link to Brene Brown's blog - Ordinary Courage - and read her Valentines' Day post from which I obtained this quote... it's pretty great.