Do you think Adam might have been the first man to give his wife a flower? Who knows when the first love note was secreted in the first lunch basket?

How many times can you say "I love you" in any single day? Love can be said, shown, and given in countless ways. I promote the philosophy of a love-filled way of living.

Love includes an attitude of thankfulness and positive thinking. It grows through increased appreciation of life and gratitude toward fellow men. Through seeing the good in people and situations, we increase our ability to love. A person's good desires grow along with the ability to appreciate one's blessings: friends, family, comforts and the wonderfulness of everything.

In our hectic lifestyles, we need to remember to take time to love. It's one of the few things we can invest our time in without regret. Too often we wait to tell those we care about how we feel. The time to share your love is now and every moment. If we could live each day as if it were our last, we would enjoy wonder for life and appreciation for our dear ones. For both the giver and the receiver, the need to express love is urgent and constant.

When we love someone, we naturally desire to please them. Wanting to delight them comes easily. We should remember two important considerations in our expressions of love. We need to give what our loved ones would enjoy, and we need to give in abundance. Our loving expressions can be thoughtful and appropriate. Our frequent expressions can also show creativity and variety.

We could view every day like Valentine's Day, a day to express our love. Everyday is an opportunity to tell those we care for how we feel, in small and simple, as well as important and meaningful ways. As we demonstrate how we feel to those we truly care for, our relationships will deepen with meaning. By telling how much we value those we love, our bonds are naturally strengthened. People reciprocate how they are treated. Love naturally returns love. If we desire our dear ones to love us, we need to make sure that we love them--and show it.

Loving is important in all of our relationships. All relationships are fragile, growing things. Depending on how we nourish them, our relationships can either flourish or wither. It's vital to constantly nurture one another with goodness and love. Spending time together, sharing important and meaningful experiences and feelings, and reciprocating affection are all parts of the daily care and sustenance our relationships need.

Love is the greatest truth. No other act on earth can more honestly confirm a person's value. Loving others tells them they are valuable and important. Love is essential to build a person's positive esteem. Science has demonstrated that without physical love, neglected infants acquire various types of mental and emotional handicaps. Love is a universal need.

We live in a generation starving for caring. Our world is filled with hate, haste, selfishness, neglect, abuse and evil. Now, more than ever, we are called to look beyond ourselves to others. What a glorious world we could have if everyone loved everyone else. It's an individual effort well worth any sacrifice.

Let us "shower the people we love with love."

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