"For small creatures such as we, the vastness is bearable only through love."
– Carl Sagan
All for Love, Love for All
It's that time of year again when everyone is in love with love -- or absolutely loathes it. Candy hearts, flowers, chocolate... All the romantic staples of the season can be overwhelming and distracting from the most important aspect of Valentine's Day -- love. Here at Joy Editing, we're in love with love all year round, so sometimes Valentine's Day can seem like just another day at the office -- pun entirely intended. One thing that being surrounded by tales of romance and happily-ever-afters has taught us is that the romantic relationships in our stories and our lives are far from the only examples of love around us in the world. Friends, pets, parents, the random person in the drive-thru line who pays for the car behind them -- these are all sources of love, even if they may seem mundane at times in our romance-centric society. Now, that's not to downplay the importance of romance, but we think it's worth remembering that love doesn't only come from one source in our lives, and we certainly shouldn't be giving all of ourselves solely to another individual. Love is all around us if we only dare to look for it.
So, for the rest of this month, we challenge you to focus on an area of your life where love may be lacking or maybe you've been a bit remiss in nurturing it. Call that friend you haven't spoken to in ages. Spend some one-on-one time with yourself. We know more than a few people who have lost furbabies in the past year, and maybe you have too. If you feel like you might be ready to open your home to a snuggly new family member, check out some local shelters to see who needs forever homes or maybe consider fostering.
However you can, find some extra space for love in your life this month. You'll be surprised how much space is actually there when you take some time to focus on opening yourself up to it. As love expert William Shakespeare once wrote, "My bounty is as boundless as the sea, my love as deep, the more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite."
Team Romance Favorites
In honor of Valentine's Day, we asked our team members to tell us what their favorite romantic novels are. If you have recommendations of your own, feel free to email us at admin@joyediting.com or drop them on our FB page!
Cassie :
"My favorite romance novel that comes to mind is Don't Die, My Love by Lurlene McDaniel. It's YA. I just love tragic romance."
Joy :
"I know it’s cliché, but Jane Eyre is my all-time favorite novel, romance or otherwise!"
Kate :
"Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks."
Devon :
"Rather than be redundant and also say Jane Eyre -- which is undoubtedly one of my all-time favorite novels --I'm going to have to say Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine. Not only is the character development phenomenal, but it's also a beautifully nuanced take on the classic fairy tale."
Jennifer :
"I don't usually care for romance novels as defined as novels about falling in love and romantic relationships, but my favorite romantic book is Betsy's Wedding by Maud Hart Lovelace."
Until next month, we wish you all oodles of love, whatever form that takes in your life. Take care of each other and yourselves.
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