Image Credit: Urban Outfitters

Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope you have all been suitably spoilt by your beaus? Bob is away at the moment so I will be celebrating Valentine's Day with myself but don't worry, I have a lovely evening planned! I will be running a hot bath, lighting my Indian spiced candles and spending most of the evening relaxing. I also plan to eat my way through a box of Lindor chocolates whilst listening to Nightmares on Wax. At the moment, I really couldn't think of anything better.........whilst most of you will be spending the evening loving your partners, I am going to spend the evening loving myself! After all, love starts from within right?

As today is all about celebrating the wonderful emotion of love, Kelly, Clare and I thought we would share with you what love means to us.

Love is like a thread that sews two people together. Every stitch makes your love stronger. Sometimes stitches can become knotted and need unpicking but as your love grows with every stitch it becomes entwined by a thread that can't be unpicked. Moments in time create complex emotional patterns and feelings that only two souls can understand. Each love story is different and has its own unique pattern.

"Love is a promise; love is a souvenir, once given never forgotten, never let it disappear." John Lennon

My husband was my best friend long before we ever got together. For us, love has two very distinctive sides. It's the joy of life; the unadulterated silliness, the side-stitching giggles at the most ridiculous of things, it's being so chilled in each other's presence, no façades just complete acceptance and appreciation of one another. The other side for us is the healing power that love possesses: the ability to make everything ok, and better than ok. Love heals the hurts of our pasts, it allows us to rise out of our lows to even higher than before and it facilitates our forgiveness. Love is the passion in our bellies, the glue that holds us together when everything around us falls apart and the smile lines at the sides of our eyes.

Image Credit: Farmnflea via Etsy

Love is that feeling that bubbles up from your chest and into your smile. It's a hug or gentle squeeze of the hand when things seem impossible. It's a shared joke that has you laughing for hours. It's sitting up all night sharing a bottle of wine and talking. It's watching your favourite boxset with your slippers on. It's a takeaway for three even though there are only two of you! It's reassurance.......a glance or a wink that says I support you. It's wearing granny pants and baggy T-shirts to bed because they're comfortable but recognising that sometimes you should wear that lacy thong! It's letting someone else into your head and realising they're not fazed by what they see. It's singing to the same song all of the time.

Love is selfless, love is patient, love is communication, love understands that sometimes you have to do things you don't want to do because it makes someone else happy. Love is total acceptance, love is security, love is constantly learning, love is forgiving. Love is that feeling of coming home to someone who knows you better than anyone else. Love is forever. Love is unconditional. Love is an energy that allows us to connective with other people.

"Love: it will not betray you, dismay or enslave you. It will set you free." Mumford and Sons

Love is such an important part of what makes us human, and although in the past I've been the first to say that Valentine's Day is a waste of time and money, today I feel differently. I think it's great that for one day in the year, couples across the globe will be celebrating their love for each other in some shape or form - even if it's through sharing a mutual dislike for commercialism!

We'd love to hear your thoughts on what love means to you so please leave us a comment below.

For now, I am going to leave you with an amazing track by Jake Bugg, aptly named A Song About Love.

Happy Valentine's Day lovelies.......

Big Love

Festival Brides xx