I’d been thinking of starting a blog ever since someone told me about WordPress. Today I got my feet wet.

Over the last several months, I’ve made some great friends. I won’t tell you who they are yet, but I will tell you that they’re fine people, loving people, people off the beaten path—even though you might find them in familiar places and ordinary occupations.

Yesterday was St. Valentine’s Day. As a tribute to them—and because I’ve learned so much from them—I want to say what you’ll read next, within the quotation marks.

“On this Valentine’s Day, I want to share some thoughts I’ve lately had about friendship.

It’s simply this:

The people in your life may come at you in different ways, unexpected ways, so you adjust, learn, absorb what’s good and useful, dismiss without judgement what’s not, remain always helpful, accepting, forgiving. This is love.

You never know what’s going on in their awareness, but if you have the foresight and ability to remain innocent and open, you will have done your best.

In this way, life will be lively and rich.

So, on this day dedicated to the ideals of love, I thank everyone who’s been my friend, is my friend, and will in the future become a friend, as I wish simple, innocent love to everyone.”