Defining Love

[midwestyankee]

How about for both of us??

I've had my chance MT. I think some things remain profound because of their uniqueness.

My hope for both of you is a happier future than you can imagine.

 

[GiveawayGirl]

My hope for both of you is a happier future than you can imagine.

Who said I wasn't already happy?

 

[midwestyankee]

Who said I wasn't already happy?

Not I.

I only wished for even greater happiness for you.

 

[GiveawayGirl]

Not I.

I only wished for even greater happiness for you.

I'm a firm believer in contentment, Yank. I need nothing more than I have right now to be happy.

 

[midwestyankee]

I'm a firm believer in contentment, Yank. I need nothing more than I have right now to be happy.

Then I am happy for you as things are - and I hope they stay this way for a long, long time.

 

[~Dream~]

Cathleen, trust is something that grows within and right along with a relationship. There is a huge difference between trusting someone when they say "I'll call you in the morning" and believing he will really call and then trusting someone with your bank accounts. Each is a matter of trust but it comes in levels.

And having a small portion of yourself that lacks trust is just part of being smart enough to protect yourself.

Amen to that!

 

[DLL]

wow you all have been very chatty..GG i perused what you posted about being content...thats ok to be content.. but why settle for that..i have to talk about this more when i have time to properly state my thoughts....but god content...strive for more...you derserve more...i will add to this....

 

[GiveawayGirl]

wow you all have been very chatty..GG i perused what you posted about being content...thats ok to be content.. but why settle for that..i have to talk about this more when i have time to properly state my thoughts....but god content...strive for more...you derserve more...i will add to this....

Contented is good. It means peace. It means happiness.

And some things are just more important than others.

 

[DLL]

Contentment is hard to maintain.These days, how does one realize inner stillness, satisfaction, and peace of mind?
Our society teaches us that the only reality is the one we can hold onto. It values outer experiences and material possessions. Accordingly, we look for contentment "out there" and live with a "just as soon as" mentality. I think contentment is something that changes with the person...so being content can be a constant battle...And so our contentment slips through our fingers- like quicksilver, another time , a different place , a better circumstance.I guess contentment for me anyway is constantly changing...and i feel contentment goes hand in hand with desire....i really couldnt convey my thoughts clearly on this..but i hope this made a bit of sense....
i guess what i wanted to say GG is dont be afraid to go for more contentment...LOL

 

[dcraz]

Not sure how this thread ended up here (I did not read any further back than 2 pages) but I thought I would weigh in with my 2 cents on contentment.

For myself, contentment means being satisfied with where I am in my station in life. Am I satisfied with my relationshio with my wife? My kids? Am I satisfied with my job, my friends, etc. Superficially, satisfaction = contentment. But it needs to be more than that. To be content for me means always pushing myself. Always eager to learn more, to meet new people, to make new discoveries. To search out new experiences. To expand who I am.

To be merely satisfied is to risk becoming complacent which is a dangerous place to be. I wake up every morning excited about the new day ahead of me and what I might learn or experience in order to grow further. To grow as a husband, father, lover, friend.

My ramblings for evening...

 

[DLL]

Originally posted by dcraz
Not sure how this thread ended up here (I did not read any further back than 2 pages) but I thought I would weigh in with my 2 cents on contentment.

For myself, contentment means being satisfied with where I am in my station in life. Am I satisfied with my relationshio with my wife? My kids? Am I satisfied with my job, my friends, etc. Superficially, satisfaction = contentment. But it needs to be more than that. To be content for me means always pushing myself. Always eager to learn more, to meet new people, to make new discoveries. To search out new experiences. To expand who I am.

To be merely satisfied is to risk becoming complacent which is a dangerous place to be. I wake up every morning excited about the new day ahead of me and what I might learn or experience in order to grow further. To grow as a husband, father, lover, friend.

My ramblings for evening...

your a good value for 2 cents worth....
hi DC...
yes i agree with what you said...i am constantly pushing myself
and an added note that av of yours makes me very content....

 

[Cathleen]

I have a different take on contentment. I think contentment and satisfaction are the ultimates of a full life. I don't think it is something we need to go look for, it is something we are.

We live in a world of high expectations and a need for more. I've been reading a book about Taoism. The philosophy is simplicity. I have enough in my life, I need no more to have a happy and full life. There is a simple anology they use - even in a forest, a bird only needs one branch to built a nest......

Contentment is within and can't really be found by looking outside ourselves. If we have a craving for wealth and material possessions we will actually diminish ourselves morally and spiritually, and freeing ourselves from those cravings enriches us by enhancing our capacity for love, mental serenity, health and happiness.

I do not believe that we will find contentment until we quiet our minds, hearts and souls. We are enough, have enough and can feel enough to be content in our lives. It isn't out there, it is in you now.

IMHO......

 

[dragonprince76]

Good Morning everybody.
How is everybody doing. I am doing fine.

to all the ladies

 

[DLL]

Originally posted by dragonprince76
Good Morning everybody.
How is everybody doing. I am doing fine.

to all the ladies

Morning DP...always nice to see you in places I am Have a great wed...

Cate what does IMHO mean...in my crazy mind i can think of a zillion things...

 

[midwestyankee]

Morning DP...always nice to see you in places I am Have a great wed...

Cate what does IMHO mean...in my crazy mind i can think of a zillion things...

IMHO = In My Humble Opinion

Used often in chat rooms and other online discussion settings, particularly to introduce an opinion that is neither humble nor original to its purveyor. We, however, are fortunate that Cathleen used it appropriately.

 

[DLL]

Originally posted by midwestyankee
IMHO = In My Humble Opinion

Used often in chat rooms and other online discussion settings, particularly to introduce an opinion that is neither humble nor original to its purveyor. We, however, are fortunate that Cathleen used it appropriately.

thanks i couldnt figure that one out...

 

[MT_Pitcher]

I'm a firm believer in contentment, Yank. I need nothing more than I have right now to be happy.

My take on this subject may be different than yours.
In my own personal life I am comfortable. As comfortable as old shoes, which is probably not a fair comparison and does no justice to the lady I live with. I love her and she is a wonderful woman. We have our shared family, including her daughter who has fully adopted me and my children who love her and four grandchildren between them.
I should be happy.
Unfortunatley, I feel something is missing and has been for many, many years.
While I do love her, I fear that I do not LOVE her.
Big difference in the way that word can be taken. There are so many meanings and degrees of intensity. Those soul deep feelings of being entwined with another had lain dormant too long and I thought they were dead completely. I guess I just figured they were only for the young and being an old man I should just be content with what I have.
But there was still that matter of feeling that something was missing.
Recently I have discovered that the part of my heart that I thought dead so long still has a little life in it.
It is an avenue that I can't help but want to explore.
Does contentment = happiness? In my case, no.

 

[DLL]

Originally posted by MT_Pitcher
My take on this subject may be different than yours.
In my own personal life I am comfortable. As comfortable as old shoes, which is probably not a fair comparison and does no justice to the lady I live with. I love her and she is a wonderful woman. We have our shared family, including her daughter who has fully adopted me and my children who love her and four grandchildren between them.
I should be happy.
Unfortunatley, I feel something is missing and has been for many, many years.
While I do love her, I fear that I do not LOVE her.
Big difference in the way that word can be taken. There are so many meanings and degrees of intensity. Those soul deep feelings of being entwined with another had lain dormant too long and I thought they were dead completely. I guess I just figured they were only for the young and being an old man I should just be content with what I have.
But there was still that matter of feeling that something was missing.
Recently I have discovered that the part of my heart that I thought dead so long still has a little life in it.
It is an avenue that I can't help but want to explore.
Does contentment = happiness? In my case, no.

would you be willing to go with your heart and open up again MT?? what a special person you found that has unlocked that room that you thought the key was lost...

 

[MT_Pitcher]

would you be willing to go with your heart and open up again MT?? what a special person you found that has unlocked that room that you thought the key was lost...

Would I? The million dollar question...
I am by nature somewhat cautious in matters of the heart.
But......
the door is opening.

 

[luvnhim]

MT...I understand that. What you are saying is that you love her but are not "in love" with her. She can't fill that void in you and it's very unsettling. And yet, you want nothing but good for her. Makes sense to me but what do I know...

 

[pureromnce]

A little bit different take:

The thoughts provided on this thread are great to read; to see how love is defined differently by each and every one of us. That’s the beauty of it – it has the ability to mold and shape itself to fit all of our unique and not so unique situations, and personalities.

Sometimes a little humor helps to keep things in perspective, because after all, and we could all probably agree to some extent - falling and being in love is, above all else, FUN!



A recent song by Brad Paisley from his CD "Mud on the Tires"


That's Love
Chris DuBois/Brad Paisley/Kelley Lovelace (ASCAP)

There ain't a woman in the world that wants to hear the word yes
When she asks if you think that she looks chubby in that dress
And if she cooks all day you better eat it with a smile
It doesn't matter if it tastes just like bad gravy on a Goodyear tire

Yeah, yeah, yeah all right so you bend the truth
Yeah, yeah, yeah that's somethin' that you'll have to get use to

Chorus
'Cause that's love you'll see
We all commit a little bit of perjury
Ah but that's no crime if you ask me, that's love
You're starin' at a burnt steak
You bite the bullet and you clean your plate
And then you go on and on about how great it was
That's not a lie, that's love

Well it's the very same thing that she does for you
When she doesn't bring up the fifteen pounds that you need to lose
And every time she runs her fingers through your hair
And she says she kinda likes the way there's not as much of it there

Yeah, yeah, yeah well all right so she bends the truth
Yeah, yeah, yeah that's somethin' that you have to get use to

Repeat chorus

Yeah, yeah, yeah well all right so you bend the truth
Yeah, yeah, yeah that's somethin' that you'll both gonna do

'Cause that's love you'll see
We all commit a little bit of perjury
You say I like it when your momma comes to visit us
That's not a lie, that's not a lie, that's love

~~~



Dave

 

[MT_Pitcher]

MT...I understand that. What you are saying is that you love her but are not "in love" with her. She can't fill that void in you and it's very unsettling. And yet, you want nothing but good for her. Makes sense to me but what do I know...

Welcome back

I don't think my situation is all that different from some others around here. It can be a problem.....
And you know a lot more than you think.

 

[luvnhim]

Many, I'm sure are in the same spot. And when that void is filled, do nothing to let it go, because the void grows even larger after it's gone.
No one should have to feel a void but it happens and they sometimes have to live with it. It can be a lonely world until it's filled and you are never to old to feel love.

 

[MT_Pitcher]

Many, I'm sure are in the same spot. And when that void is filled, do nothing to let it go, because the void grows even larger after it's gone.
No one should have to feel a void but it happens and they sometimes have to live with it. It can be a lonely world until it's filled and you are never to old to feel love.

Oh, you can always live with that void. And you can always stay safe and comfortable. But is that LIVING, or just existing?
I did that too long before, and it almost killed me.
While my situation is no longer anywhere near what it was, I still fear going to my grave many years after my heart already died.

 

[luvnhim]

Living vs. Existing

Geesh...you nailed that. Existing is not living.
I love this thread!