[CrimsonTide4]

You Deserve Love
While listening to my great Aretha Franklin CD selections (thanks Babs), I'm motivated to write you today about that "R" word.....relationships.

You can't make someone love you. How many times have you...I mean how many people have you known that sit and wait in vain, have rapped on the door and tapped on the window pane, did "drive-bys" wondering if he or she was home, charged up the credit cards, phone calls in the middle of the night, rearranging their life, changing their hair, can't eat, sleep or work...you know all that crazy stuff hoping love would be returned? If the one you love can't return the love, get a clue and move on with your life. If you've got to convince someone to see and honor your goodness and love....then it's not worth it. Your heart is going to end up in the Heartbreak Hotel or the Y-Tell Motel.

Like Aretha sings, "you're still a rose, you still got the power." You're not responsible for someone else's immaturity, addictions, temper, lack of faith, low self-esteem or inner turmoil. Maybe it's the sign...he's not the one....she's not the one. If someone is trying to hold onto broken pieces of a relationship or if it's all ONE-sided, is that really love? Or is it desperation, afraid to be alone, afraid you can't love or be loved again, or is it a fear of what people will think or is it time for you to heal and deal with your own issues?

All relationships have thorns but the rose is what makes it beautiful to behold. The rose makes it easier to endure the thorns in life. If the rose is gone and only the thorns remain, it's time to reevaluate your life.

Love should not need convincing. Love should not be a battle. Love should not be competition (sitting on the Jerry "Swinger" show). Love should not have you sitting by the phone waiting, waiting, waiting. Love is kind. Love forgives. Love affirms. Love responds. Love serves. Love communicates. Love encourages. Love is a decision. Love heals. Love pays attention. Love is present. Love remembers. Love listens. Love cares. Love answers the phone! Love comes home! You deserve love!

By Jewel Diamond Taylor