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I am a sucker for anything Nicholas Sparks. I remember watching ‘A Walk To Remember*' at the movie theater in middle school and I could not get it together. I was a blubbering mess. I proceeded to read every book and watch every movie ever since. Heck, E and I are Jewish but we still used The Bible passage in our vows that Landon Carter and Jamie Sullivan (he was also obsessed with ‘A Walk to Remember'), used in their vows.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Needless to say, when we settled in this weekend to watch ‘The Choice*', it did not disappoint, and it took on a new meaning as newlyweds. The Choice is about feisty med student Gabby, who has a long-time boyfriend, Ryan. But when Ryan goes out of town she finds herself in a whirlwind romance with her new neighbor, Travis. A lot more happens beyond this, butI don't want to spoil it for anyone!
Life Lessons from The Choice:
There are many types of love in the world. <— this one is from E. After watching, he turned to me and said that we have the “great love” that not everyone is lucky enough to have. It's possible to love many people in our lives, in different ways and to different extents. However, the types of love Gabby and Travis have is… after all… what books and movies are made of. It's rare, it's deep, it's visceral. which leads me too…
Explore every opportunity you feel called to. Sometimes, especially in our twenties, we get tunnel vision about the path we are “supposed” to be on. But if you have the opportunity to get pulled off that path, thrown through the ringer, and get roughed up by life a little, take that road. It's called the road less traveled for a reason after all.
To love and be loved is our greatest purpose in life. Love is what makes the world go around. Love for our family, friends, pets, work. Whatever it is. When we do things in love, it makes the ugliness of life easier to bear.
Always be yourself. Embrace every part of yourself. The good, the bad, the ugly. Own who you are. It will draw the right people and opportunities into your life.
Don't ever settle. Whether it's the romantic type of love, or friendships, or your work, never settle. We have hopes and dreams for a reason and life will challenge us on them all the time. Never give up on them. Fight for them. If your dreams don't scare you, then you aren't dreaming big enough.
The biggest nuisance is often our greatest gift. When something (or someone) bothers us, it's usually because its a gift from the Universe intended to push you towards the person you are meant to be. It's not something to avoid, but something to run towards. It's like a warhead or sour patch kid, first sour then sweet! Pay attention to those nuisances in your life, find the gift within them.
Life is too short to not spend it with the one's you love. Wake up! Open your eyes. Be present. Feel things in the moment. Figure out who sets your soul on fire and spend time with them! Don't ever let those moments and memories go.
And with that, I leave you all to enjoy your weekend! And remember, I love you for stopping by and reading and being a part of my journey ?
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