Find your strength in love

As Valentine’s Day approaches, I recall the 1985 classic from Whitney Houston, the greatest love of all. I love the way Whitney would belt out the last line, the last love of the song, “Find your strength in love.” She would pause and get ready to make that last love go on and on.

Naturally, as we are in the middle of Black History Month, we know that Martin Luther King Jr. demonstrated how to find strength in love. He died showing the world that it can be done. Like many, it is believed that the message from the song, the greatest love of all is self-love. This is the foundation upon which love is built. You must love yourself enough to love the partner you have chosen. You must love yourself enough to grow and learn. You must love yourself enough to be open and continue to evolve.

It is also lovely to see how others are maintaining this message. At the recent Grammys, I heard the words love, and heart over and over again. Madonna sang, “Living for love.” She just oozes strength with a strong statue and dominant presence. Beyoncé won for being “Drunk in love.” I heard the words heart and love a lot in Ed Sheeran's song, "Thinking out loud" and Ariana Grande sang, “Just a little bit of your heart.”

I see a heart and know it to be the symbol of love. How do you find your strength in love? I call upon love every day to help me make better choices instead of reacting, love helps me respond. Instead of being afraid, I call upon love to assist me with taking good risks. Martha Beck, talks about this in her book, the Joy Diet: 10 Daily Practices for a Happier Life. One of the elements to the joy diet is to take risks for your heart’s desire. I believe in the other nine elements as well, do nothing for fifteen minutes daily, tell yourself at least one truth a day, allow yourself to desire, create, take good risks by doing one thing that frightens you daily, treat yourself by giving yourself treats, play, laugh, connect and feast.

So for this Valentine’s Day, I ask you to look for the strength in love. Just singing and/or listening to that great 1985 classic song, the greatest love of all reminds me of my own strength and the strength of love. As I have said before when you look for something, you will find it. I will continue to seek the strength in love, it has only brought more love and goodness into my life.