Just a Little Love From Here, There and Everywhere

cey adams love mural street art lynn Massachusetts
Cey Adams – Lynn, Ma.

If I’ve learned anything in 2020 (debatable) it came from being reminded that love matters above all else. Without it, there is nothing. Whether that be self love, romantic love, familial love, love of your fellow man or what have you – love is where it’s at.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve seen heart shapes in the wild. I’d see them in coffee rings, clouds, in oil swirls on the wet ground, you name it. The humble little heart, a symbol of love the world over, was everywhere.

File under: Pareidolia?

the tendency to perceive a specific, often meaningful image in a random or ambiguous visual pattern

The scientific explanation for some people is pareidolia, or the human ability to see shapes or make pictures out of randomness. Think of the Rorschach inkblot test.— Pamela Ferdinand

Merriam-Webster

And then for a spell much longer than was comfortable, I didn’t see any hearts at all. None. Nowhere. My secret superpower was gone.

Riverhead, NY

You see, I never considered that seeing hearts where they didn’t really exist was something neurotic or strange. It’s always been a good thing, almost like a check to say that I still knew what mattered.

My mind has always gravitated to metaphorical things. I’ve always been a seer of signs. And so it felt symbolic to no longer be able to find these heart shapes hiding in plain sight. It was as if my ability to find “love” went away.

During that period, the thought occurred to me that I would never again be able to find the hearts. And I asked myself more than once, what that meant for me. Surely, it meant something, right? Had I really changed that much? Was I broken?

LOVEWork - Monteray Virginia and Triumph Bonneville motorcycle
LOVEWork – Monteray, VA

One afternoon a few months ago – after getting the mail out of the box and walking up my driveway, I saw a leaf on the ground in the shape of a heart. “There you are,” I said out loud to no one. Except perhaps myself because it was me that needed to hear it.

A sense of relief washed over me. It was a sign. I’m still here. I just needed to be patient.

Love is so simple, so pure. Yet, loving people can be hard. And when we are hard to love, perhaps that is when we need each other’s love the most.

DFace Love Forever mural street art las vegas nevada
D*Face – Las Vegas, NV
love trumps hate - moodna viaduct - graffiti
Unknown on the Moodna Viaduct – Salisbury Mills, NY
lovework - culpeper virginia - triumph bonneville motorcycle
LOVEWork in Culpeper, VA
peace love donuts huntington west virginia
Peace, Love, Donuts – Huntington, WV
lovework luray caverns west virginia
LOVEWork – Luray Caverns, VA
dia de los muertos sacred heart artwork long beach new york
A Sacred Heart – Long Beach, NY
thomas english muffin butter heart truck
Random 18-Wheeler
Instructions on the back of a disposable razor.
love butt triumph bonneville
The Love Butt – Charlottesville, VA
morais vineyards lovework - bealton virginia
LOVEWork – Morais Vineyards – Bealton, VA

You can view all of Virginia’s LOVE Works on their map.

My sweet love.
lovework waynesboro virginia
LOVEWork in Waynesboro, VA
heart graffiti and motorcycle boots
Graffiti on Route 218 – Cornwall, NY
xoxo donut - heart donut
Donut Love

Fuzzygalore

Rachael is the whimsical writer behind the 20+ year old Girlie Motorcycle Blog. As a freelance blogger, she is on a mission to inspire laughter, self-examination, curiosity, and human connection. Girlie Motorcycle Blog can be found on several Best Motorcycle Blog lists.

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4 Responses

  1. RichardM says:

    A nice ending to the year that will, hopefully, not be repeated…

  2. Thank you for the reminders that light remains in the world. Best to you, your family, and the puppa for a fine new year.

  3. Ted says:

    Happy New Year Rachel. May you find your love in 2021.

  4. Wuzzie says:

    Rachael….you certainly have a lot of love coming your way to start the new year…hope you are feeling it now.

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