LOVE IS A LOT MORE THAN YOU THINK

                               Love is a very complicated, abstract noun.
                               It can be defined as "a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person," according to dictionary.reference.com.
                               Yet love is so much more complicated than that.
                                It isn't just a feeling or emotion; love is a state of being, a source of energy that can only be felt by our souls.
                                No one has to be with their significant other in order to feel it.  Love occurs spontaneously and can only be understood at the time it is enjoyed.
                                Think about the star athlete, training for a game.  So many hours of practice and preparation go into the making of a star player.  Yet, when he or she is out there, on the court or field playing his or her hardest, the performance truly is love.
                                As humans, we feel and show this powerful state of mind every day of our lives.  When we wake up and grab that cup of coffee or bowl of ceral, we show love for our bodies, by feeding it with care.  When we are on the road, driving to our jobs or school, we also show love by staying safe driving properly. 
                               Following the laws of the road, or the bus in some cases, can seem mundane.  Achieving the goal of  arriving at our destination on time is a feat in and of itself.  Once we arrive and direct ourselves to where we need to be (like homeroom before the bell rings), this act shows a passion and commitment to our work.
                               Listening to our teachers and bosses shows a sense of cooperation.  When we complete a task in a proper and timely fasion, we show a love for success.  Coming home and cooking dinner for those we share a home with shows solidarity and reminds us how lucky we are to have a roof over our heads and hot meals to eat.
                               Love doesn't have to be romantic or rose-colored.  Instead, it is about caring for others and being the best people we can be.  When we try our hardest and achieve certain goals, we feela happiness and overall love for life that absolutely no one can resist.
                               This Valentine's Day, don't think of love as chocolate hearts and kisses from another.  Look at it as an opportunity to appreciate what is around you and reminisce about the ways we show love in our own lives.
                               I guess what I am trying to say is that, overall, we should think of Valentine's Day as the new Thanksgiving.
                                We should be thankful to celebrate the crazy, mixed-up, irrestible sense of love.