Birds and Opposites

In talking to my son and daughter-in-law yesterday, relationships came up.  The sayings, "Birds of a feather flock together" and "Opposites attract" came to mind.  I've actually pondered these two sayings because they seem to be conflicting with each other.  Which is it, "Birds of a feather" or "Opposites"?  I used to think it was kind of a joke.  You could use whichever one worked for you.  So I started paying attention to which phrase went with which kind of relationship.

Here's my conclusion: "Birds of a feather flock together" applies to friendships.  These are the people you bowl with, play tennis with, take yoga classes with, jog with - you get the idea.  "Opposites attract" applies to romantic relationships.  Each person brings something different to the relationship.  It makes things more interesting and fun.  You learn from each other.  It keeps the relationship fresh.

Now, some things do overlap.  My husband and I both enjoy traveling together.  We enjoy motorcycle riding, walking, being out in the fresh air, our family, and many other activities.  But there are certain activities that are mine; he could care less about doing them (going to movies, swimming, reiki).  And certain activities are his; I could care less about doing them (golfing, going to the gym, watching documentaries).  That's okay and even healthy.  Then when we get together after doing our separate activities, we enjoy talking about and listening to each other's experiences.

Love,  Paula

About "Love, Paula"

For my first blog, let me explain the name.  People seem to have a problem with love.  I get e-mails, letters, and cards that are signed with anything but "love."  Christians may say, "Love in Christ."  Spiritual friends may say, "Love & Light."  Others may say, "Sincerely," "Respectfully," "Your friend," or just sign their name.  What's wrong with "Love"?  Why can't people just say "Love"?  What are people afraid of?  Why does that simple, beautiful little word make so many people uncomfortable?  I think it's sad.

There is a big difference between "love" and "being in love."  Obviously, you can't be IN love with everyone.  But you can LOVE everyone.  You should love everyone.  We are all inhabiting the same planet.  We're all in this earthly adventure together.  Let's fearlessly love one another through it. 

There's also a difference between "liking" and "loving."  You don't have to like everyone, but you can still love them.  Love is heart-to-heart, soul-to-soul.  You see the real essence of the person, their spiritual self, and love that.  That same person may do things you don't like.  That's their human side and that's okay.  As a matter of fact, you can even distance yourself from a person because of things you don't like about them.  You can make sure you never interact with them again, BUT you can still love them.  

This is an issue that has been bothering me for years.  Because of that, I always sign "Love, Paula" (or "Love, Mom" or "Love, Grandma" depending on the recipient).  I hope that on this site, we can share love and spread love while discussing any topic.  The name of the site is "Love, Paula", and it will always end with the words...

Love,  Paula