Love cannot survive if you just give it scraps of yourself, scraps of your time, scraps of your thoughts.
~ Mary O’Hara, author ~
Do you remember when you were a child making your own Valentine out of scraps of doilies, construction paper, glitter, and ribbons? Usually, those were for your mom and/or dad. Sometimes it was for that special friend.
Scraps are great for making cards or collages or assemblages.
But they are not great for love and creative work.
Recently, I was interviewed for a book on love by love coach, Wendy Darling. One of her questions was, “What is the one piece of advice you would give someone who is preparing to welcome love into their life.”
My answer? Be prepared to make that new love a priority.
This was advice I offered to one of our sons many years ago when he expressed that he really wanted to have someone special in his life. I suggested that he enjoy where he was and what he was doing. That he soak up all he needed to in the way of experience and learning, and then, be prepared to make a relationship a priority.
Because love does not thrive on scraps.
And neither does your writing, your painting, your music, or whatever form your creative expression takes.
Yet, too often, what I hear from clients is that scraps are all that they offer their creativity. Scraps of their days and thoughts and energy.
But your creativity–hopefully one of the loves of your life–requires a serious chunk of your time and thoughts and energy.
Or it frays at the edges until there is nothing left.
If you have scraps, make a card.
But if you have a love, then make it a priority.
Happy Valentine’s Day.