Little Jeremy Thought I was an Angel

Short Blog –  I just wanted to share this darling moment.  Our children are so precious and they are truly a blessing from the Most High.  Their innocence is so precious and their honesty can either be brutal or pleasant.  The other day, I was in the market and there was a family in the same aisle as I.  They had an infant and a little boy tagging along side of the cart while his dad and mom shopped.  Walking pass them; I noticed the little boy staring at me; but I smiled at him and kept on shopping.  As I walked further down the aisle; I turned to look at something on the shelf and as I looked down; I saw these pretty little clear blue eyes staring at me.  He was staring me up and down.  I never expected in a million years to hear what came out of this little ones mouth.  He couldn’t have been no more than seven or eight. He said to me, “Are you an Angel?”  Stunned by the question, I replied, “No Sweetie Not Yet”.  Hearing this made my heart just melt.

This made me think about how children don’t think about color until it’s taught to them to make a difference in another persons’ color.  With their born innocence they have the ability to see God and nothing else.  For many years the media has always depicted angels as being only white women.  Here this little Caucasian boy was looking at me; an African-American woman, asking me, If I was an angel.  No sooner than he asked me that; I heard his mom yell for him; “Jeremy!”  She then proceeded to come for him.  She said to me, “Sorry that he was bothering you”.  I said to her, “It wasn’t

a bother; he actually just made my day by asking me if I was an angel.  After telling her that, his mom

said to me; “you do seem to have this peaceful aura around you.  Maybe that is what he is seeing, said his mom.  I said, “maybe”.

It goes to show you that no matter what the media may depict as to what an angelic being should look like; that if God is to be seen in you there is no respect of color.  God is seen whether your black or white.  Thank you little Jeremy for making my day.

Live Life Well and Be Blessed.  Michelle E. Alford, CHLC, CLC www.livinglifewellwithmichelle.com – Radio host of the “Living Life Well With Michelle Show” on WDRJ 1440 AM – Detroit  tune in each Monday morning at 10:30 AM EST from your cars, homes, offices, androids, blackberries, computers, on anywhere you can stream live.  Call my company Me-A-Happy Lifecoaching @ 734-288-7189 for your life coaching services. My book Motivation By the Book available only on my website or my publishing site: http://www.livinglifewellpublishing.comand stay tuned for my next upcoming book “Spirituality – The link to the Love and Liberty in My Life.”

Serenade in the Park

This morning I woke up and I had a pretty engaging conversation with the Most High along with meditating.   Afterwards, I prepared to go for an early morning walk on the trail.  Nothing really could prepare me for a bizarre but pleasant encounter.   With so many walkers, joggers, roller bladders, bikers it is not that difficult to not notice who has their sights on you.  When I am walking, I usually am in a zone with the Ipod going strong to keep me moving to some very intense music.   Imagine after the second time around, having a guy that resembles this guy, running toward you serenading you…..singing a classic, “A Ribbon In The Sky” by Stevie Wonder.   Now, I am thinking…I don’t know this guy so this serenade is not for me, however, as I am looking around, I was the only one in the vicinity.   Him still approaching me coming from the other side of the trail…..the moment of truth…he was serenading me…..and he had this cheesy smile on his face……he extended his hand out to me and introduced himself as Lenox.  I replied, “Hello, Michelle”.

Then he said, I know….weird for somebody to be serenading someone they do not know….  I’m thinking, “Yes” but I replied, “Not really”.  Quietly to myself, thinking, as I recall this has happened to me before many years ago, in downtown Detroit, a man saw me standing downtown, he was all the way on the other side and I never saw him either until he got up close and personal and he serenaded me with the same song, “A Ribbon in the Sky” by Stevie Wonder.  As with this same situation, I never saw this guy coming.  While talking to him, I had all kinds of things going on in my head…..I am sweaty, no make-up, I have a scarf on my head, etc….and I got all this physically fit gorgeousness standing in front of me…..LAWD,  have mercy!

We continued to walk and talk and the conversation was quite enjoyable..I could tell he had a sense of humor…almost quite silly but cute…..there were a lot of chuckles shared between us, this went on for at least 30 minutes.   After that the conversation came to a close; but he left me with some parting sweet words and encouragement.   Some of what he said, “Ms. Michelle” keep up the excellent work your making a lot of progress.  He further went on to say, if you have them, start lifting weights as much as you can to work your arms…..and he gave me that buddy touch on the shoulder like he has known me for years…..Then he simply, said, “I’ll see you around” and left.  For a brief, moment I thought, “How Long has he been watching me, to know that I have been making progress?  Then I sort of just threw the rest of my thoughts away and began focusing on what this encounter meant, for this is the second guy that I have met on this trail.

Now most women would have thought, this man wants me.  Me on the other hand, I have a different response to things like this, especially since I have been on this spiritual journey and life of transformation mind, body and soul.  This encounter meant something totally different.  As always, I look at the symbolism in the moment.  I lay down all the facts such as:

A stranger but gorgeous man, a song – “A Ribbon in the Sky” a classic by Stevie Wonder, walking and talking with me, offering me encouragement with my efforts, giving me praise, etc….I didn’t stop here.  I was compelled to find the lyrics to “A Ribbon in the Sky”.   The lyrics are below:

So that you too will understand
There’s a ribbon in the sky for our love

 Do…Do…
 Do Do Do Do Do…
 HMM HMM…

This is not a coincidence
And far more than a lucky chance
But what is that was always meant
Is our ribbon in the sky for our love, love

We can’t lose with God on our side
We’ll find strength in each tear we cry
From now on it will be you and I
And our ribbon in the sky
Ribbon in the sky
A ribbon in the sky for our love.

When I read the lyrics to the song; tears began to flow down my face. When you think about this entire encounter it was every bit of lovely.  Then this made me think about;  That when a man finds a wife; that man should already be equipped to love, encourage, protect, praise, honor, respect, as God does.  Years ago, I decided that, while dating, that I would not answer the question, “What are you looking for in a relationship?”  This question gives people permission to try and deceive us.  The moment we tell them what we are looking for, they become exactly that, therefore not presenting their true selves.  If a man asked me what I was looking for in a relationship then right away, I knew perhaps he wasn’t the one; for a man with good intentions already knows how he wants and is capable of loving you;  offering you only the wonderful qualities he already owns.

Now back on subject, this encounter was God’s message to me about how the love he has ordained to be in my life will come to me; pay attention to the lyrics in the song:  “This is not a coincidence” and “Far more than a lucky chance” “But what is this was always meant”.  My heart is melting right about now….God sure does know how to douse your spirit with love.  I especially love this part of the song, “We can’t lose with God on our side”.  This one line is saying everything that needs to be said.  When God ordains a union it doesn’t matter how many people their are who don’t like it….there can’t be anything done about it, other than, watch these two people love each other.

The other message I got from this encounter is Love will recognize you in your rarest form; sweat and all.  This man was a stranger and straight-up gorgeous; but my concern shifted directly on my appearance; but he was not bothered by that he knew I had been walking and sweating, and approached me anyway.  That is how love should approach you; for who you are.  Love will look past the exterior and reach deep and look at the interior.  Yeah….!  That’s what love does; accepts you for who you are.

I want to close by offering some encouragement to my Plus Size Mavericks and Divas; I am still plus size; but for me I am a work in progress, and what I am doing for myself is not to gain the attention of a man.  The transformation that is taking place in my life is a process, and it is something that I want to do for me.   I want to also say,  beauty comes in all shapes and sizes and just because a guy is physically fit and your deemed not to be; it doesn’t mean that they will not be attracted to you. There are some lovely men out here who can look past the superficial, especially when he is met with a woman full of pleasantry.

If your single and plus size as I am, take every moment that you can, to love on you, and love will keep bumping into you until that one and only true love stops you in your tracks and says, “I have waited for you all my life, and I want to go the rest of the distance with you as my wife”.   Do what it is that you do; be a mover and a shaker, do not let your weight be an issue; just change it, if you have an issue with it yourself.  Know this, if a gorgeous man with good intentions is  approaching  you then, obviously, your weight is not keeping him from taking notice of you; so do not make it an issue. TRANSFORM, RENEW, REVAMP, REPOSITION YOURSELF  into the authentic woman you KNOW YOU already are.  I promise you, the beauty will be in the process, the progress and in the wait!  Don’t Rush it, let God do it!  If you let God do it; you will not lose.

P.S.  Don’t sit in the house because more than likely Mr. Right is not going to knock on your door.

Live Life Well and Be Blessed.  Michelle E. Alford, CHLC, CLC –http://www.livinglifewellwithmichelle.com – Radio host of the “Living Life Well With Michelle Show” on WDRJ 1440 AM – Detroit  tune in each Monday morning at 10:30 AM EST from your cars, homes, offices, androids, blackberries, computers, on anywhere you can stream live.  Call my company Me-A-Happy Lifecoaching @ 734-288-7189 for your life coaching services. My book Motivation By the Book available only on my website or my publishing site: http://www.livinglifewellpublishing.comand stay tuned for my next upcoming book “Spirituality – The link to the Love and Liberty in My Life.”

Plus Size Maverick

Michelle E. Alford – Author, Poet, Speaker, Radio Host of Living Life Well With Michelle Show, Business Owner, Founder of Spoken word Billboard Awards, 16 year Real-state Veteran, Certified Life Coach, Certified Holistic Life Coach, Publisher, and you have no idea what is next.

Maverick – Independent person: an independent thinker who refuses to conform to the accepted views on a subject.

I was compelled to write this blog after talking to another plus size sister today.  I told her that I would be writing the blog and she welcomed the idea.

Our conversation was about plus size women in the dating world.   Many questions came up? Who do we date or not date?  Are there really men attracted to plus size women that truly love them?   Can a plus size woman be in a loving relationship with a man who is physically fit when she is deemed not to be?  There were so many questions flying around in the midst of our conversation.  She further, discussed about her secretly being in love with a male friend that she has known for eight years but he has openly expressed that he has no romantic interest in plus size women.  Nevertheless, he enjoys being around her, in fact, he is always doing things for her that he has not attempted to do for women  he has dated.  He has a great deal of respect for her and he will defend her honor in a minute.  He talks to her about everything; his relationships, his emotional roll-a-coasters, etc…..They both have been their for each other when either one or both their parents died, etc…They have just been through a lot together…..Yet he says he has no romantic interest in plus size women.

Women we should not get upset, when a man says he is not attracted to plus size women and cop attitudes, reciting phrases like, “oh, well his lost.”  Even if this statement is true, you  have to appreciate a person who chooses to be truthful with you; rather than, string you along trying to manipulate your thoughts into believing there is an romantic interest; when it clearly is not.

As the conversation went on, she explained to me that she has tried to make her heart; not love him but her love for him just will not go away.  She further states, “She has held onto being his friend, in hopes,  of him one day realizing she is the one for him.  It sadden my heart, at what she said next, “I feel like if I do not have him there will be no other options, because their are not too many guys really truly loving plus size women for real.

This is when the conversation shifted.  I said, “No disrespect, sis but it’s time for you to become reacquainted with your self-worth.”  It is also time to do away with this way of thinking; that plus size women do not have options in quality men.

A woman has to know; she is a gift to a man.   She has to know that she is far more precious than rubies.  She have to know what she brings to the table as a woman; is a valuable asset to a relationship.  As a plus size woman myself, who was once part of the ‘itty’ ‘bitty’ to medium committee  into my early thirties; that is, until the circumstances of life happened.  I was living with an illness for a few years before I was diagnosed, with fibromyalgia.  I had such a severe case of it , that it zapped me of my motivation to want to exercise; like I had in the past.  As a result the weight packed on.  Not an excuse but it is part of my reality [More of the story is in my book entitled, “Motivation by the Book” available only on my website.]

As a woman, I know that I bring much to the table from the inside out.  I am a very spiritually minded and guided person that can offer my relationship peace, I am an innovator, Author, Poet, Speaker, Radio Host of Living Life Well With Michelle Show, Business Owner, Founder of Spoken word Billboard Awards, 16 year Real-state Veteran, Certified Life Coach, Certified Holistic Life Coach, and publisher.  All these things are true to me and not something that I am putting in a blog or on a social network to appear more than what I am.  This is who I am.

Additionally, I am a great mother, I am nurturing, caring and truly have a heart for the well-being of others.  I simply have so many layers to me, that would be an asset to my relationship; but I will be the first to say that I am not perfect.

I digress, and get back on subject.  Plus size women when we know exactly what we bring to the table and what we are worth; you must know the right man will take notice, and will be drawn to you, no matter what your size.  If he is a man looking for substance in a woman he will not make weight an issue for not loving you.  Instead, if you want to lose the weight or if he wants to make sure you are healthy he will be a strength in your life and help you change your life with losing weight, if that is your desire.

When you wait around for one man to love you or finally realize that he needs you in his life; who clearly is incapable of loving you at the moment; you prolong receiving the love that has been waiting for you and that is ready to love you, now for who you are.

I consider myself as a Plus Size Maverick, in the sense, I am my own woman, I have my own mind, my own thoughts, and am uninfluenced by what the media says what the ideal relationship should look like.  I  don’t share or buy into there being a lack of quality men that are attracted to plus size women, nor do I share in the thoughts of there not being physically fit men capable of loving plus size women for real.  I have had some pretty wonderful men that have graced my life with loveliness whether, I was thin or plus size, so I offer my encouragement to all my plus size sisters [with no consideration of color] become a plus size maverick and own who you are.

Do not buy into the hype that quality men will not love us with an authentic love.  Know who you are, whose you are, and walk in your “Queendom”.  Do not allow yourself to be lost in the moments of holding out for one guy, who may or may not come around into loving you.  Nor should you hold any grudges against a man who is truthful in telling you what his preference in a partner is; but by the same token, should you decide to lose weight, and carry out that goal; do not allow him to be the one that takes part in the new-found you; because his love is ‘conditional’ and if given a chance he could find some other reason not to love you.  It doesn’t make him a bad person; it just makes him a person that limits himself in the department of love.

I am single, and losing weight, slowly, but surely, and it feels great.  For I know that I am losing  weight because this is what I want to do for myself.  Daily, I make it my business to love on me.  I have been stilling away, not traveling far, but retreating to a place of peace, calm, and rest each time I lose at least 10 pounds or simply want to usher more peace in my life and engage in even more intimate conversations with the Most High.  It is my suggestion to you; find out what it is that helps you keep on loving yourself to the fullest and treating yourself like Plus Size Royalty.  I am sending out a measure of my love to all my Plus Size Mavericks.  Own Who You Are!  You better Love You Girl; and Love Will Love You Back; I promise.  Keep on the Look Out on what I am going to be doing in the plus size community.

 

My upcoming book title: Spirituality – The Link to the Love and Liberty in My Life will give more insight on the topic of spirituality and how it is linked to everything that occur in our life.

Live Life Well and Be Blessed.  Michelle E. Alford, CHLC, CLC –http://www.livinglifewellwithmichelle.com – Radio host of the “Living Life Well With Michelle Show” on WDRJ 1440 AM – Detroit  tune in each Monday morning at 10:30 AM EST from your cars, homes, offices, androids, blackberries, computers, on anywhere you can stream live.  Call my company Me-A-Happy Lifecoaching @ 734-288-7189 for your life coaching services. My book Motivation By the Book available only on my website or my publishing site: http://www.livinglifewellpublishing.comand stay tuned for my next upcoming book “Spirituality – The link to the Love and Liberty in My Life.”

Spiritual Liberty

 Yesterday, many celebrated “Independence Day” commonly known as the 4 July; I joined in the jubilance of the moment by stilling away, however, I celebrated something much more sustaining–My Spiritual Liberty. 

Although the day is much appropriate for celebrating our civil freedoms, the occasion is even more exciting when you think of freedom period; when you think of ‘independence’ – one definition is the freedom from control, freedom from dependence on or control by another person, organization, etc…

• FREEDOM — The optimal word here—- when you think of being unbound, controlled or restricted it is certainly a reason to celebrate life.

In the process of my spiritual journey, I have come to realize; we have the freedom to allow ourselves and let go of energies that do not serve us.  When I am coaching people at Me-A-Happy Life coaching, I make it a point to reiterate, that we have the freedom to live life well and be happy, even when all the odds are against us, or when people simply do not understand us.  I am reminded of a quote that I read by Thomas Merton.  He said, “The most important question in spiritual life is not: ‘Are you happy?’ but ‘Are you free?’” 

Are you free?  Do you feel liberated in your spirit to make the right choices for your own life? Or are you solely dependent on someone else telling you what next move you are to take in your own life to experience the true happiness that is already available to you?  If you are free, then, you must know we already own those special gifts to own our spiritual independence mind, body, and soul.  If you are not free, then, it is high time you start your own spiritual journey of truth-seeking.  This process can be accomplished by developing and nurturing your spiritual relationship with God through prayer, meditation, studying scripture, and other spiritual aids that properly align with scripture.  These practices will allow you to tap into your spiritual gifts; we all have them.

Once acquired, many do not understand how to own these gifts and make them work in their lives. It takes s nurturing your spirit with spiritual things or with spiritual practices to own spiritual freedom and recognize your spiritual gifts.  A great first step is to understand what ‘spiritual freedom’ is—it is seeking God on your own terms and releasing any links from restrictive religious or spiritual groups.  When you think about it; religion has less to do with knowing God; and spirituality has everything to do with serving him because it denotes the commitment of a personal relationship that you have with him and not with an organized group of people.  [I am not saying do not go to church; I am just saying, going does not mean you have a relationship with God.]

 I cannot begin to express how marvelous being on a spiritual journey has brought me more closely to God than ever before.  It has awakened my senses, and revealed more to me about the hidden mysteries of the God we all claim to serve.  If you all really knew how powerful, the Most High is we would spend less time in moments of lack and want.  Do not get me wrong; I make no claims to have arrived; but I am on the right path of experiencing the beauty of total spiritual liberty.

 It is so invigorating to enjoy an unspeakable peace in your life, and to know the benefits of living in the moments of spiritual liberty.  Let us lose those things that keeps us bound by the neck, unable to navigate freely in our own lives. Let us rehearse in our minds on what spiritual liberty is–it is the ability to think for you without guilt.   Spiritual Liberty measures to a length; that measures to a measurement of endless possibilities.  We were created to seek the Most High, seek the truth, and seek meaning and answers as individuals – we were not created to wander as sheep following a “that’s the way things are” motto.   [Scripture references: Philippians 2:12, Matthew 7:7, Psalms 1] Some of the scripture references used here are to show that everyone has a responsibility to take part in nurturing their spiritual relationship with God.   We are not meant to be spoon fed religion because at some point we have to learn how to pick up the spoon and eat directly from God’s table.

 Another point about ‘spiritual freedom’ is that these liberties allow others the freedom to make their own choices, even if those choices are adverse to our own.  [I wrote a blog about understanding other people’s choices here:

 https://michellelifecoach.wordpress.com/2013/06/30/understand-other-peoples-choices/

 There are many layers of freedom and it is my hope that each of us seeks and finds those layers with much understanding and gratitude.  Begin your spiritual journey, you may soon discover that your spirituality is the link to everything possible in your life. You  may also discover that the very things that were hindering you to go forth in your life in a more profound way are those things directly related to the under nourishment of your spiritual relationship with God.

My upcoming book title: Spirituality – The Link to the Love and Liberty in My Life will give more insight on the topic of spirituality and how it is linked to everything that occur in our life.

Live Life Well and Be Blessed.  Michelle E. Alford, CHLC, CLC –http://www.livinglifewellwithmichelle.com – Radio host of the “Living Life Well With Michelle Show” on WDRJ 1440 AM – Detroit  tune in each Monday morning at 10:30 AM EST from your cars, homes, offices, androids, blackberries, computers, on anywhere you can stream live.  Call my company Me-A-Happy Lifecoaching @ 734-288-7189 for your life coaching services. My book Motivation By the Book available only on my website or my publishing site: http://www.livinglifewellpublishing.comand stay tuned for my next upcoming book “Spirituality – The link to the Love and Liberty in My Life.”

A Prayer for Guidance:

Dear God, help us properly align our actions by your inspired divine direction, 
carry them out with your assistance, 
 as we make our prayers and supplications known unto you; seeking only to act upon those things that are both pleasing, and ordained by you, therefore, resulting in our inevitable happy conclusion of living in the moments of true spiritual liberty.

 

To Say “I Love You”, “I’m In Love With You”, or “I Associate You With Love”

Love is such a short word to spell but has such an overwhelming impact on a person’s life.  In one of my women’s group discussions the topic came up about love.   Love is a subject that all are so ready to talk about  because we all seek it, we all want it; we all crave it.  Many questions came up but one question in particular became a hot topic.  That question was, “How do you know the difference between when a person is expressing a love for friendship or a love for a relationship?”

In order for you to find what love is being expressed to you, one must first understand the differences in the known expressions of love.  There are primarily four categories of love and many expressions of love.  I will not go into the expressions but here are the four categories of love:

• Agape – is a selfless love shown for one person toward another without sexual implications [precisely love that is spiritual in nature]  It is also a strong positive emotion of regard and affection.
• Eros – It is a romantic and passionate love. Love becomes the most important thing in the relationship. This type of love has a lot of physical attraction, physical gratification and its fulfillment involved. It also defines man and woman relationship, marriage being the prime example.
• Philo – This kind of love is based on emotions and feelings.  This is a Love of  “affection”.  It is a kind of love in which a person feels delightful and warm in the presence of the particular person and the feelings are developed by the intensity of the love showered.
• Storge – This is a natural bond of love shared between parents and their children or just your kin folk.

Once you understand the main categories of love you can readily come to a conclusion of what kind of love is being expressed to you; at least that’s how it should go.  With so many people thirsty for love all don’t really pay attention to what kind of love is being expressed to them.  Most automatically assume Eros love is being expressed because it is the kind of love that is craved most.

I remember years ago, a male friend called me in the middle of the morning waking me out of my sleep just to say, “I Love You.”  I was half sleep, but alert enough to respond to what he said.  I remember saying, “Thank You” and “I Love You To.”  Because we were platonic friends, I knew what kind of love he was expressing to me because there was never more.  So I took his actions as something that he needed to say at the moment he said it;  if he wanted to say more he never did.  So the words “I Love You” in this instance was an expression of Agape love.

In a separate instance, a man that I was dating took the same action by calling me in the middle of the morning, but his expression of love was quite different.  He started the conversation by saying, “I need you to be completely awake.”  So he called my name out a few times to ensure that I was alert.  His very words were, “I have never met a woman quite like you; I have never met a woman that sticks to her principles, and I have never met a woman with such a kind heart and spirit and here goes the magic words, “I’m in Love With You”.  Now, you know what happened next.  I pulled myself up out of my bed and set up straight, because this brother deserved my undivided attention.  I suspected because he called me so early in the morning that he had been thinking about this all day and had to get the nerves to say what he needed to say.

After he said what he needed to say, he told me to go back to sleep because he wanted the rest of my sleep to be sweet and tomorrow was going to be sweeter, because he was going to pick me up for something very special.  Indeed, the next day was quite remarkable. I will keep the details as my treasured thoughts.  All I can say is Canada holds very fond memories for me.  It is no doubt in my mind that the love that was expressed was a mixture of Agape, Eros, and Phileos love because we were friends before we became anything else.  When a man gets the nerves to say “I’m in Love With You” then it shouldn’t be a doubt in a woman’s mind of what kind of love is being expressed because it takes for a man to think intentionally about the combination of putting these words together to really say them.  He could have easily just said, “I Love You” but when  these three words are said; it doesn’t necessarily mean that a man is interested in loving you romantically nor does it mean that he would be committed to loving you exclusively, even if there were some romantic interest.

Now, I have had male friends growing up or that I met along the way, that, I care for and love.  However, it is no surprise that telling your male friends that you love them can become a challenge when they have significant others in their lives; which of whom have not had the pleasure of meeting you or knowing the basis of your relationship with their partners.   All my male friends have always openly expressed love for me throughout my life; but at some point, in friendships expressing love openly can be misunderstood and therefore has to be done with complete discretion.  This is why, I opted to start using the expression “I Associate You With Love” to my male friends to avoid any misunderstanding of what my intentions were.  However, I would soon learn in my effort to respect my friends and their relationships, that, using the phrase “I associate you with love” somehow still became an issue with one of my friends significant other.  I will not go into the full details of the circumstance; but I will say it became no longer a problem.

I would like to offer an explanation of what the phrase “I associate you with love” means.  Let’s first define the word associate:

• Associate

1. to connect, relate, bring into relation, as thought, feeling, memory

Now that I have defined the word associate. Let us define the word “Love”:

• Love

1. a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.
2. a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend.
3. a person toward whom love is felt; beloved person; sweetheart.  (used in direct address as a term of endearment, affection, or the like).

To associate someone with Love is merely relating them to the beautiful qualities of all that encompasses Love.  

Shown in the way they live their lives and in the way they treat others, etc…..you just connect and see the love in them; this is the meaning of the phrase “I Associate You With Love” that is when it’s being released from my mouth.

Now as you can see like so many words Love has many different meanings.  There were other meanings but I chose not to include them in the equation here; because those definitions did not apply to what I was referring to.  My friend had expressed love to me first and in response to that expression, I merely, used the expression “I associate you with love” but before another word could be uttered the significant other chimed in on the line without hearing everything that was said and why it was being said.   My friends significant other only heard the word “Love” and went ballistic.  [I didn’t mention that we have not seen each other in about nine years, and still haven’t to this day; he found me on a social networking site, and this is why love was being expressed in the first place.]  Needless to say she ordered him not to talk to me any longer; and you got to wonder why a person would feel so threaten by a person they’ve never met, and never bothered to understand that we’ve never been more than friends, in fact, we are more like brothers and sisters than anything.

It is my position to respect other people’s relationships; and I’ve learned, that, sometimes in doing so there could still be issues when you have friends of the opposite sex.   So now, If I see one of my old male friends, if I want to express love toward them…..I refrain from using the word “Love” at all.  Simply, because expressing love comes easy to me and I wouldn’t want to slip up and say it at the wrong time; and be misunderstood.  Now, I simply opt to using less endearing terms but still good expressions; like “that’s a good brother” or “I respect him a lot”.  With that being said this type of love falls under Agape or Phileos.

Love is so beautiful to exchange between individuals don’t choke the beauty out of  it because you haven’t completely gotten a grasp on what type of love is being expressed to you.   A person can never go wrong with Love; if he/she first understands love.  — Michelle E. Alford

Single women keep your hearts from unnecessary hurt and pain. Become the love that you wish to have in your life and I promise; it will be magnetized back to you.  When you hear the words “I Love You” do not automatically assume it means a man want’s a relationship with you.   If he truly wants a relationship with you he will rise to the occasion and  express what his intentions are with the way he wishes to love you and the words will change into an intentional expression of “I Am In Love With You”.  If it doesn’t  then perhaps, he is not the one for you.  [This is another blog discussion in itself, LOL!] 

I will quickly make a note–once the foundation of your relationship has been established then the words “I Love You” are acceptable and sustaining in a relationship.  The statements that I am making about “I Love you” vs I’m in Love With You” are precisely during the first stages of the relationship.

Single Ladies – Calm down.  Take a chill pill.  He may just want to love you dearly as a friend. Don’t shun these types of relationships with the male species; they to can be fun and enjoyable until Mr. Right finds you.

On another note: LISTEN! DISCERN! UNDERSTAND! and DON’T MAKE A MOVE UNLESS GOD GIVES YOU THE GREEN LIGHT — and ‘DIVINE LOVE WILL BE THE REWARD’of your hearts’ desire.   Live Life Well and Be Blessed.  Michelle E. Alford, CHLC, CLC – http://www.livinglifewellwithmichelle.com – Radio host of the “Living Life Well With Michelle Show” on WDRJ 1440 AM – Detroit  tune in each Monday morning at 10:30 AM EST from your cars, homes, offices, androids, blackberries, computers, on anywhere you can stream live.  Call my company Me-A-Happy Lifecoaching @ 734-288-7189 for your life coaching services. My book Motivation By the Book available only on my website or my publishing site: http://www.livinglifewellpublishing.com and stay tuned for my next upcoming book “Spirituality – The link to the Love and Liberty in My Life.”