love thursday – all around me

I had totally forgotten about Love Thursday until I sauntered over to Shutter Sisters recently. I love Love Thursday. I love Love everyday, for that matter. I am, truth be told, a love junkie. That sensation you get when you feel like you’re just going to explode because everything is so beautiful? That’s love and I am hooked on it like Phonics. And although I’m not in a relationship right now, I am happy to say that I feel love…

All. around. me.

All. the. time.

Indeed, love doesn’t always have to involve someONE. Sometimes, it hits you when you’re running in the park and you witness a mallard snuggling little ducklings under her breast (shut up… it’s cute and you know it). Or the way you feel when a perfect warm wind blows on your skin… a caress from the Universe, I say. Or when a complete stranger smiles at you and the sky blushes. Or when a song makes you break into spontaneous dance in the kitchen (wine may have led the dance in this instance but my heart followed the lead and my feet followed suit).

All I’m saying is that there are an infinite number of ways to feel love (if you open up your heart to it) and it is the ultimate life experience. Wouldn’t you agree?

The photo above was taken at Parc Maisonneuve a couple weekends ago. My cousin and I packed a picnic one Sunday afternoon, hopped on our bikes in our skirts and meandered through alley ways, over railroad tracks and down lovely bike paths all the way to the park, where we laid out a blanket under a tree.

There we were, with a storm brewing in the distance snacking on hummus and crackers and cherries and trail mix and squeaky cheese (another thing I love and I believe it is only made here, in the land of poutines (or at the very least, on Canadian soil… um… by Canadian udders), which is a true shame because everyone should have access to squeaky cheese 24/7. It’s like L to tha O to tha V to the E… it’s just so cheesy delish. But that’s a whole other topic for another day.

Anyways…. the canopy was five different shades of green, made all the more vibrant under the charcoal sky. There were people flying kites, a gay couple in the distance walking their teenie weenie dog in their teenie weenie bikinis, kids chasing each other and screaming, students studying for finals, couples roller blading hand in hand, a father playing soccer with his son. See. Love. All around.

My favorite though, was this couple in their sixties, TOTALLY making out on the bench behind us. We’re talking full tongue. It was such a rare sight; it was as if I had spotted an ivory-billed woodpecker.  You just don’t see people of a certain age making out… but THEY SHOULD because when you make out with someone the way they were, it means you are so into them that you just can’t help but show them. And that is love. And I hate to think that that kind of love fades so it made me all giddy inside to sneak a peak at them. I just wanted to jump up and down and say “Yay. Good for you and good FOR you.” But I thought that might ruin their moment. So instead, I snapped a quick photo and made a mental note to self. Make out with dude on park bench when 60.

Other LOVE-ly sights I enjoyed that day… Ooh! But before I send you into the land of photos, I just want to welcome a new soul into this world. How appropriate is it that my sister gave birth to a beautiful baby boy on Love Thursday? Welcome to the world Samuel. I can’t wait to meet you little man.