It is no surprise that this is what comes to mind as I focused on our theme of heart health—Valentine’s Day. A day centered around appreciation, love and strengthening what bonds us together. Time set aside with a single focus. It is a day of acknowledgement and gratitude.  Why, I asked myself, do we need holidays to spur our energy and conscious thinking to the good stuff we should be practicing every day?  

My guess is we are all too darn busy with stuff.  

As I peer into my mind and observe my day, I see that I leave little snippets of time, flashes of focused thought on what is good for my self-care, my soul, my spirit, my growth, and the growth of others, lying all around, waiting to be noticed and taken seriously. My dedication to seek tolerance, to love more, to understand the delicate art of give and take and what it takes to nurture a loving relationship is the really important stuff in my life. It is essential nutrition for my heart, mind, spirit, and soul. I should not need a reminder that it should be a bigger part of every 24 hours. 

What I think about, what I practice, what I let go of will surely come back to me. I know it is my ego that gets in the way of my spiritual path. Speaking for myself, this is the stuff I need to be at peace—self-love and practicing the art of loving. This is an everyday building journey. I just need to be open to the rewards of more love for my heart to be healthy.  

That, and a little exercise and good eating habits.

Stay healthy, stay safe, keep loving.

Joe Dunne, Publisher