When my sister-in-law used to talk about ice cream…she’d say,

There’s always room for ice cream because it fills in all the nooks and crannies.

Now, she was literally talking about ice cream, but this applies to love as well, as I was reminded recently.

On the Season 14 season finale of Grey’s Anatomy, there was a quote that struck me as profoundly beautiful:

Of course I’m talking about the love part, not the 40 part although…anyway, this quote also struck me as something a kid might actually say. But in all seriousness, I cannot imagine how you could have too much love in your life. I’m not talking about the smother kind, or the tough kind, or romantic kind, but a certain kind of love that’s hard to come by, and even harder to live by.

I mean that kind of vulnerable, be yourself, make mistakes and forgive kind of love, without conditions.

Living this kind of love is difficult at times, especially if you’re like me: full of insecurities and doubt, prone to depression and negativity. Some of my problem is illness related (as we all know by now), and some of it stems back to previous experiences. But since my…breakdown (not loving that word), I’ve been noticing that this kind of love exists around me already. Heck, it’s part of why I’m a child care provider! Kids accept us so easily and love us from the start. I also see it in my son, who, despite his teenage attitude, tells me what a great mom I am and that he loves me on a regular basis.

I have a handful of family members too, who have always been open and accepting and forgiving, but I didn’t let myself trust it for the longest time. I’m working on trusting it now, and it’s nice to know that I’m accepted as the imperfect and unique person that I am by people with whom I share a long history. I also have a handful of good friends that have shown me time and time again that I can count on them without judgement, free from expectations, and despite my sometimes questionable behavior, they are always there for me. It’s hard to trust a relationship that is still being formed, but it’s worth the risk. You never know where you’ll find a kindred spirit, someone you have something in common with, someone who sees through your facade, and someone you feel a connection with. Laura was like that for me, she just understood me and showed me the kind of love I’m talking about…

And finally, there is my husband, who has shown me this kind of love from the very beginning…well, not completely right away, but pretty early in our time together. Within a month of meeting, we were best friends and started to date. We got engaged just three months after we met, married four years later, and still going strong as we approach the 23 year mark of our first meeting. And we have been through good times and bad, and even though we don’t always agree, I know we will get through whatever comes our way.

Anyway, try to let the love into your life, there’s always room in the nooks and crannies!