The Mystery of Love and Other Relationships

Sunday morning, the sun is shining through the coffee shop window and the usual suspects are here, including me.

There are the families with little ones that are learning to walk and talk.

The gang that racks their brain over the crossword puzzle in the paper.

The older guys talking politics, not just national stuff but local stuff too.

Some of us are on our laptops, taking it all in.

What’s really going on here is the dynamics of human relationships.  There is nothing particularly special about this day, or place.  Similar stuff is going on all over.  It could be in churches, it could be at home, it could be at a park.

The “It” is the love.  It’s that mystery that separates us from the machines.  Sure I can type a heart in response to a Facebook post, but that’s just a symbol.  The love is human to human. And not just romantic love…

It’s between friends, it’s between family and it’s the strongest type of human relationship possible.

Saturday, I got word that my last Uncle had passed away.  Uncle Bill outlived his sister (my Mom), his wife, and his oldest daughter.  He was the last of the Uncles in my life and I have one Aunt still alive but she has been secluded for a decade after her husband passed away.

I recall that after my Dad passed away in 1998, my Mom carried on for three more years but there was a profound sadness and grief in losing her partner.

Love is a mystery and it is sought after.

With Valentines Day this week, don’t be the jerk that ignores it.  Even if you are not mushy and sentimental, the person you are thinking about right now, probably is.

I’ve been single, I’ve been married, I’ve been divorced, I’ve been (and am) married again.  I have kids, step-kids, grandkids of all ages, sizes and shapes.  I’ve been there, done that and have the t-shirt.  I have friends and acquaintances that are in one of the stages I just mentioned.  I understand.

If you’re looking for love, start with friendships.  Start with yourself.  Hang around other friendly folks.

The gang I mentioned at the beginning of this piece, at the coffee shop, didn’t meet each other and become friends due to some dating app or Facebook algorithm that told them to show up at 9am on Sunday.  It was simply an organic and evolving series of human relationships.  Shared with a beverage and a bite to eat.

In a couple of hours, I am going to meet a bunch of strangers to play cards at an event that I know very little about, but the common theme is Euchre.

Keep your eyes open to opportunities to be around people and make a point to be friendly.  Everyone could probably use one more friend.

This has been a bit of a rambling article today about love and relationships and Valentines Day and even death.  I’m not sure exactly how to wrap it up with a bow, so I won’t.

However I am planning on a new article later this week on advertising, marketing , technology and human relationships that you might love…