Happy Valentine’s Day! As I write this post the news is sharing another horrific story of a person being killed and others being injured during a rally in Kansas City. (The Kansas City Chief’s football team just won the Super Bowl Game this past Sunday)

What I don’t understand is why do these things keep happening in our world. Don’t even get me started on my thoughts on the war between Russia and Ukraine or the horrors that occurred last October in Israel (and now occurring in the Gaza Strip). This winter has been tough for me as I feel so unsettled with these continuous moments filled with hatred and mindless evil.

Something has to give.

Last December, our children’s string orchestra were invited to participate in pop star and song writer, Andrew Allen’s Christmas concert. All fall they were busy working on their collection of holiday music. Our home was brimming with harmony and every Monday for weeks prior to the event, our children’s music school held rehearsals. I loved sitting in the car listening to the beautiful music flowing out from the building. By the time the concert arrived our kids were so excited.

The concert was more like a large gathering of friends and family coming together to celebrate the season of light. Andrew made us feel like we were just sitting in his living room. A very large living room I might add, where he had brought together a few friends to join him in celebrating the holiday. Our children’s orchestra blew everyone away. I mean who doesn’t love watching and listening to kids ranging in age from 4 to 18 playing cello, violin and viola? It was magical in so many ways. I cried more tears of joy than I had in a long while that evening.

The majority of tears fell though when Andrew started introducing the next song he was going to play called, “What Would Love Do?” Through the whole evening, the energy was mostly light filled, with funny quips and stories about his band and about recent concerts he had given. He talked about being thankful to have grown up in our little town and now being able to raise his family while continuing his career as a singer/songwriter. But when he introduced this song, he also talked about what was happening in the world. He paused, got us to pause, while he asked us to wonder what if people just stopped for a moment, before acting on any impulse towards anger, or retribution, or their feelings of righteousness, and asked themselves the simple question, “What Would Love Do? He wondered if maybe, just maybe, we would have less wars, less shooting, less anger and animosity towards others and maybe more harmony. More peace.

More love.

I’ve been thinking about this question for the last few months and wondered how I could make a difference. If I am not even able to temper my reaction to anything that arises in my life to irk me, how can world leader be expected to be any better? We are after all…human. But we have to do better.

For our world.

For our children.

For the future of this earth.

And so I’m stopping in the middle of this day, a busy Valentine’s day for our family and sharing this question with you. How can we shake up the world for the better and have this question on everyone’s lips? If we come together as a greater whole, we can shift the world towards a response of love and shut out the evil that has bee occurring. Even when we are protesting, and we think it is justifiable, we have to ask ourselves this question, “What would love do?”

I often think of the response Mother Teresa gave when asked why she didn’t attend anti war protest.

“I will never attend an anti-war rally; if you have a peace rally, invite me.”

― Mother Teresa

She simply didn’t want to be AGAINST anything or anyone.

Enough said. I want to wish each of you, my dear blogging family, a very Happy Valentine’s day. Let us spread this question out into the world… “What would love do?” I want us to chant and cheer and smile and laugh. I want us to lock arms and wave our flags with red hearts on them. Let each of us take a moment to ask ourselves this question the next time something happens that causes anger or disharmony. Love is the answer. May your world be filled with love this Valentine’s day and in the upcoming year. That’s my greatest wish.

Below are two YouTube videos. One is called, “What Would Love Do Now,” by Jason Mraz, during a concert he gave 12 years ago. The other is from our beloved local boy, Andrew Allen, in case you haven’t heard of him before. He started me thinking and you know what they say,

One thought is powerful. And one question even more so….

“What Would Love Do?”

Until we meet again,

May you be well, happy and peaceful.

And may your be surrounded by love and light.

Blessings from Hope