On Fire

“Love is like a friendship caught on fire. In the beginning a flame, very pretty, often hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering. As love grows older, our hearts mature and our love becomes as coals, deep-burning and unquenchable.” –Bruce Lee

Photo Credit: Angie McMonigal Photography

Love is a multitude of roles and emotions, of needs and offerings.  Love is a smooth dance of gratitude and appreciation, of giving in and letting go, of giving and taking.

Love is friendship, holding hands in comfortable silence, walking forward without destination.

Love is stolen moments, a passionate kiss in the hallway while the kids play in the other room.

Love is shared dreams, quietly whispered in the soft moonlit glow of the night.

Love is tears, wept not for one’s own pain, but for the pain of the other.

Love is commitment, weathering life’s storms with one jumbo-sized umbrella.

Love is kindness, the overlooked day-to-day tenderness of an unexpected foot rub or an unrequested cup of coffee with just the right amount of sugar.

Love is faith, in each other, the relationship, and the future.

Love is compromise, she chooses the restaurant, you choose the movie.

Love is respect, for each other, from each other, and for the sacredness of the relationship.

Love is passion, taking her face in your hands and kissing her with lips, burning hot, that say, you are all I need.

Love is vulnerability and surrender, letting her kiss you and allowing yourself to be loved completely and without abandon.

Love is freedom, standing on the street corner, grabbing her face with a tender force and affectionate fervor that shows the world that your love needs no words, labels, or documents.

Yes, love is all of those things.  Love is friendship caught on fire, fueled by passion, kindness, and commitment, and wholly deserving of respect.

This post is part of the weekly Photo Inspiration Challenge.  Special thanks to Angie McMonigal Photography for her fabulous photos.  Make sure to visit her website or facebook page.