Love Compiled.

It started with this email....

And then y'all responded.

As if words on Love had been resting on the tips of your tongues all this time.

As if Love's mysteries aren't so mysterious after all.

As if doing a great job at Loving is a supremely worthy collective cause. 

-------------Behold Our Love Compilation------------- 

(As instructions we'd give to our child selves)

1. Always remember that there has never been, and will never be someone like you, and that is a magical thing in itself which needs to be honored above all else.

2. Always remember you are worthy of the deepest Love, but understand that it must be cultivated in your own heart first. Love can only be received in balanced for what can be given.

3. Always remember there will be times when you will question everything that you know. This is called life experience, and take to heart, all must walk this path. This is the path to knowledge and the path to deeper Love.

4. In the darkest of times remember always, you are loved by me :) (A.S.)

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The joy that love brings can be astronomical. Having the utmost respect for another human being is a solid foundation to any kind of love story. (C.M.)

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There is one quote, from the great Tom Robbins, who said something along the lines of how we spend too much time searching for the perfect love instead of creating it. (G.M.)

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Two lovers were out walking and one turned to the other and asked 'how much do you love me?'. To which the other replied, 'that much' pointing to the horizon. 'And how much is that?' the first questioner asked. To which the reply came, ' I don't know but if we walk in that direction we can find out.' (B+)       

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"Unconditional Love” means loving with your entire heart - without expectations. It requires no barter system of I-will-love-you-if-you-do-this-and-give-me-that… It means loving a person for exactly who they are at any given time, limitations and baggage included. Only when we give (and receive) unconditional love can our hearts be truly open and capable of growth.  

Given the circumstances of our conditioning, love (rather, learning to love) can be inherently difficult for many of us… But no matter how many books/movies/television shows/songs/etc. tell you otherwise, it is not supposed to hurt. (K.V.B.)  

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When you experience pain do not always see it as a result of a bad decision or mistake; do not try to force it away.  Look at the pain you experience as a sign of change and growth and use it to guide you. (E.M.)

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Let yourself be vulnerable. While it might feel like being closed around someone is the best way to protect yourself, the strongest foundations of trust are built on opening up without knowing how it will turn out. (M.O.)

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Love is the way we inherently and naturally feel about one another. Love for all beings is in our DNA, every cell of our being, all the time, no matter what has happened to us or anyone else. I find that hopeful. Acting on this truth, instead of the recordings running around in our brain and the world about ourselves and others makes for a life full of joy, people, challenge and fun. (C.T.)

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Also in loving yourself, search out your passions.  We all have so many, large and small.  You know your passions by how good they make you feel when you do them.  From huge, grand accomplishments to tiny feel-good things, little random acts of kindness, Finishing Tasks, lovely personal rituals in day-to-day life, writing a caring letter, facing fears ... the list goes on eternally because each of us has in us our own bouquets of wonderful things that bring us pleasure, bring us love of where we are and what we are doing at the moment. (J.S.)

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If you're confused about how it works you're probably doing it right. Ride the feeling and strive for the best. Fuck up, get up and do it again until it sticks. Or until you pick the right tarot spread ;)(M.K.)

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1. There is infinite perfect love and there is human love.  Human love is never perfect.  Do not confuse the two and expect something that cannot be perfect to be so.

2. Just because you find yourself facing these lessons over and over doesn't mean you are a slow learner.  It is life's nature to repeat, especially when you do not control the way the world turns. (B.F.)

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The river becomes the waterfall

the fall becomes the crash

leap into love

and rocks will turn to sand.

Did you see the Sun spill across the horizon,

and pour love all over the mountain?

Did you see the light that offered itself 

to the little waves on the lake?

We know nothing until we see love in this way.

The Sun is 93 million miles away.  

There is a glint of light on your eyelashes.  

How far will you go for love?

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1. Don't be vengeful to anyone, even though they hurt you, you don't have to do the same.

2. Be open to different beliefs. Have your own set of values and be able to take in others with out judgment. (J.H.)

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Don't take yourself too seriously. Find someone who you can laugh and play with and makes you feel young at heart. If you plan on growing old with someone, try to find someone that makes you feel young and happy along the way. (D.R.)

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Some misquoted quotes to talk about leveling the playing field:

+ "You set your own worth and the world will never bargain with it."

+ "The people who founded the society we live in today were no smarter than us."

Don't let their rules be your final say. Your thoughts and creativity are just as valid and powerful and have as much value as only you allow.

Inner scarcity is a man-made farce. There is enough, you are enough. You can't mess this up, it is your birthright.

Guilt is a man-made farce. Use the tools of self-gratitude and responsibility to unhook from this snare.

Listen to your intuition by being still. Don't be discouraged when you're confused, allow it. When you are still, illumination always comes.

When you set yourself free, you also release the generations that come before and after you. (T.D.)

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The universe expands when friends, lovers, family, expand together.  Otherwise we remain small. (A.T.)

(If you missed your chance to submit your entry and would like to share your Love instructions - comment away! Get crazy on that Love business).